Panthers report card: Carolina failed, failed and failed again vs. Buccaneers
For one half, it looked like the Panthers’ might snap their four-game losing streak.
The scored was tied 17-17 at halftime. Then the third quarter happened. It included a 98-yard rushing touchdown, a Teddy Bridgewater interception, and a Mike Davis hand injury. All of that resulted in a 46-23 loss, the Panthers fifth consecutive loss of the season.
The Buccaneers have swept the Panthers this season. They also won in Week 2, 31-17. This loss was worse. After trailing 21-0 at halftime, the Panthers made adjustments and almost came back in Week 2. In this game, it was the Bucs who made the necessary adjustments.
Here is this week’s report card:
Passing offense
D: The Panthers passing offense looked great in the first half. Panthers quarterback Teddy Bridgewater completed 14-of-17 passes for 113 yards and two touchdowns.
The offensive line held up, and Bridgewater wasn’t pressured much in the first half. Bridgewater threw a screen pass to DJ Moore, who ran it 24 yards for a touchdown.
But the second half took a turn when Bridgewater threw an interception on the Panthers’ second series of the second half.
Bucs defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul dropped back in coverage and intercepted a pass intended for Moore. It didn’t get much better after that.
Bridgewater finished 18 of 24 for 136 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. He also did not finish the game after suffering a knee injury.
Rushing offense
D: The Panthers didn’t run it much against the Buccaneers. After the Bucs went ahead by two touchdowns in the third quarter, the Panthers were forced to abandon the run.
Panthers running back Mike Davis had a few solid runs early in the game, but none were longer than 7 yards, and he didn’t have a rushing touchdown. He injured his thumb in the third quarter and went back to the locker room. But he was able to return later.
Davis finished with seven carries for 32 yards.
Christian McCaffrey missed his seventh game this season with an injury. He went on the IR after suffering a high ankle sprain in Week 2. He suffered a shoulder injury last week on the final drive of the Panthers’ 33-31 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Davis has played well this season, but the Panthers definitely miss McCaffrey.
Passing defense
F: While Tom Brady wasn’t perfect Sunday, he had little trouble finding the holes in the Panthers’ defense.
Panthers cornerback Donte Jackson sat for most of the game after re-injuring his toe. Rookie cornerback Troy Pride Jr. replaced him but also struggled.
Cornerback Rasul Douglas, who has been a steady presence for the Panthers’ secondary, could not contain Mike Evans or Chris Godwin. The Panthers needed an interception, a big sack or anything to slow Brady but could not deliver.
Godwin, Evans and Antonio Brown all had at least six catches and 69 yards.
Brady had too much time to pass in the pocket. He finished 28 of 39 for 341 yards and three touchdowns.
The only positive was the fumble the Panthers forced in the first quarter.
Rushing defense
F: Ronald Jones’ 98-yard rushing touchdown in the third quarter made this grade an “F.” The touchdown was a back-breaker for the Panthers, after a nice punt by punter Joe Charlton, that was downed at the Bucs’ 2-yard line.
The Panthers were hoping that field position would be in their favor.
But it didn’t matter. Jones found a small hole, ran through it, and safety Tre Boston missed an important tackle that allowed Jones to go free up the middle.
Jones finished with 192 yards rushing on 23 carries and a touchdown.
Special teams
A: This was the only positive for the Panthers. Backup running back Trenton Cannon took a kick return 98 yards to set up a Panthers score. Kicker Joe Slye made his only field goal, and both of his extra points.
And Joe Charlton had two nice punts down inside the 5-yard line.
Coaching
F: This loss falls on the coaching staff, as the Panthers continue to struggle in the third quarter. Third quarters have been a big issue for the Panthers this season. And they certainly didn’t adjust after halftime of this game.
The score was tied 17-17 at halftime. Some of the play calls were also questionable, like the fake punt in the third quarter. It looked exactly like the play the Panthers ran against the Chiefs the previous week. Last week, it was successful. Charlton found Brandon Zylstra wide open in the middle of the field.
This week, it wasn’t successful, as the Buccaneers were all over it.
This story was originally published November 15, 2020 at 4:17 PM with the headline "Panthers report card: Carolina failed, failed and failed again vs. Buccaneers."
