The Panthers had enough trouble with their own mistakes in a 26-21 loss to the Broncos, but Sunday’s officiating left Carolina with plenty to gripe about too.
The biggest flashpoint came late in the third quarter with Carolina ahead 14-13. What looked at first like a controversial challenge by Sean Payton turned into an overturned incompletion on a first-and-goal snap from the Broncos’ 1-yard line, changing the play to an interception. The red flag actually came out before Carolina ran the next play, but the real issue was what the officials saw - or didn’t see - when Panthers tight end Tommy Tremble was interfered with by linebacker Justin Strnad . . .
From there, Denver seized control with 13 unanswered points, stringing together back-to-back touchdown drives and pushing the game out of reach.
After the game, Tremble was asked about the play . . .
The missed calls didn’t stop there. Denver also avoided flags when tight end Felipe Franks had his helmet ripped off, and linebacker Alex Singleton got away with a couple of very late hits. Then there was another questionable moment in the fourth quarter, with Carolina trying to hang on in its final possession . . .
The Panthers still managed to pick up a first down on that snap, so the miss itself wasn’t the killer. The next play was. Bryce Young was strip-sacked, and that ended Carolina’s last real chance.
When the dust settled, the penalty count told part of the story: Carolina was flagged 13 times for 119 yards, while Denver was called for eight penalties totaling 50 yards.
Still, the Panthers handed plenty to the Broncos on their own, and that’s why this one can’t be blamed on the officials alone.
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Bryce Young Did Not Hide His Frustration After Panthers Controversy
The Panthers Week 9 loss to the Broncos did not sit well with Bryce Young, who made clear afterward that the sequence around Sean Paytons challenge left a bad taste. Denvers coach successfully overturned an initial incomplete pass ruling into an interception, and Dave Canales later confirmed the challenge flag had come before the next snap, turning a routine-looking play into a major swing in a 26-21 game Carolina had a chance to control.
Youngs frustration was rooted in more than just the call itself. The interception helped set up Broncos touchdowns that proved costly in the final margin, and for a Panthers team still searching for consistency, it was another reminder of how thin the line can be when a game turns on officiating and momentum at the same time. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Loss Just Reopened A Brutal Replay Controversy
A late-game replay decision in Carolinas loss to Denver has quickly turned into the kind of officiating debate that lingers long after the final whistle. Broncos coach Sean Payton was allowed to challenge a play after officials reviewed whether his red flag had come out before the next snap, and NFL vice president of instant replay Mark Butterworth said the challenge was permitted because the flag was thrown in time.
Now the issue is back under a harsher spotlight, because video evidence has surfaced that appears to challenge that explanation. The reversal that followed the review had a direct impact on the games outcome, and for the Panthers, it has reopened an old frustration about how much control replay can have when a critical moment is left to interpretation. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Left Furious After Bizarre Officiating Swung Week 9 Loss
A frustrating Week 9 loss to the Broncos left the Panthers with plenty to gripe about beyond the final score, as a pair of officiating decisions swung momentum at key moments. Carolina had reason to believe a defensive pass interference penalty should have been called earlier in the game, and the missed flag helped set the tone for a night in which the Panthers kept running into traffic they could not clear.
The most jarring sequence came on a review that ultimately wiped out a potential scoring chance, with the officials allowing the full play to unfold before confirming the interception. Later, in the fourth quarter, another missed offsides call played into a Panthers turnover, adding to the sense that Carolina was fighting both Denver and the whistle all evening. [Read more 🡒]