The NFL regular season is nearing its final push, and teams are vying to secure a spot in the playoffs. However, not every team will make it to the NFL Playoffs. Last week marked the end for the Carolina Panthers as they have been mathematically eliminated from playoff contention. Their elimination was imminent for a while now, and it was just a matter of time before it became official. The NFC South division itself has been underwhelming, which delayed their elimination. Several reasons led to Carolina’s elimination, but three stand out among the rest.
3. The Defense has declined due to injuries
The Carolina Panthers’ defense has been a significant disappointment this season, especially considering my initial prediction of them winning the NFC South. Watching their games, it’s clear the defense has declined significantly compared to previous years. Injuries have played a crucial role in this decline, particularly the absences of Shaq Thompson and Jaycee Horn. When both players went down earlier in the season, the Panthers struggled to recover, and their absence was keenly felt.
2. Bryce Young has not looked great
No matter how great an offense is, you can’t suceed in the NFL unless you have a quarterback. That is why the Carolina Panthers traded up in the 2023 NFL Draft order to acquire the quarterback of the future. They selected Bryce Young and so far he has not looked great. Young statistically as of this date has a 60.9 completion percentage, 2,056 passing yards, 9 passing touchdowns, 9 interceptions, 7 fumbles (4 lost), and 161 rushing yards. Yeah its not great and when comparing to C.J. Stroud who went 2nd overall in the 2023 NFL Draft it is not great. Statistically Stroud has 63.4 completion percentage, 3,540 passing yards, 20 passing touchdowns, 5 interceptions, 7 fumbles (4 lost),143 rushing yards, and 3 rushing touchdowns. So, far Stroud has looked a lot better then Young this season.
I will give Young this though, do the Panthers have a good offensive line? Or a consistently good Wide Receiver? Well this team had one in D.J Moore, but he was traded to Chicago in order for the Panthers to draft Young. It also does not help that Frank Reich wanted Stroud over Young, which does not help things either.
Now for those completely giving up on Young, shouldn’t. Sometimes it takes 2-3 years to fully determine if a player is a complete bust or a late bloomer. Some times it takes time for prospects to develop in the NFL and maybe a much needed coaching change will help young. Look at Jared Goff, when he was a rookie during the Jeff Fisher era, he was absolutely horrible. When the Rams hired Sean McVay, that ultimately saved Goff’s career. Same could be the case with Young with a change in coaching. Speaking of coaching changes…
1. Coaching: The Mess of Frank Reich’s tenure
This is more simplified as there is a previous pieces that was written on the website when the news broke of Frank Reich being fired midseason. The cultural issues, play calling being abysmal and lack of motivation has clearly been shown all season from the team which all but shows how horrible the coaching has been. Coaching matters in the NFL and a change had to be made, so the Panthers decided to part ways with him midseason.
Where do the Panthers go from here?
The most frustrating aspect of this season for the Carolina Panthers is the inability to tank. Their first-round pick now belongs to the Chicago Bears following the trade-up for the first overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. The future of this team is a significant question mark, making it uncertain where the first step will be for this franchise. The critical task ahead is to assess who stays and who departs for next season. There’s an undeniable sense of uncertainty surrounding this team, leaving doubts about the Panthers’ improvement next season. It’s possible that the Panthers might consider finding a new GM as well. Scott Fitterer could be out of a job at the end of the season. Carolina faces a tough road ahead, but their primary objective in these final games is to secure football victories
