2 winners (and 5 losers) from Panthers' prime-time meltdown against 49ers

Loser No. 2

Carolina Panthers pass-rush unit

Generating pressure has been difficult once again for the Carolina Panthers this season. They rank No. 31 league-wide with just 1.3 sacks per game, which is not what general manager Dan Morgan envisaged when he revamped the pass-rushing unit in the offseason.

This reared its ugly head once again against the San Francisco 49ers. Quarterback Brock Purdy made a ton of mistakes, but he wasn't under duress consistently. That made his errors even worse, even if the veteran signal-caller got away with it on this occasion.

Patrick Jones II's injury has been sorely felt. Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen have flashed, but they are rookies learning their craft. D.J. Wonnum is a non-factor, and Trevis Gipson was a late arrival, getting a run on the rotation.

The Panthers didn't sack Purdy. They only managed one quarterback hit throughout the contest. And unfortunately, this has become a frustrating trend throughout the season.

Winner No. 1

Jaycee Horn - Carolina Panthers CB

It was hard to pick out the positives from this Panthers' capitulation. But most of those came on the defensive side of the football.

Jaycee Horn showed the shutdown capabilities that have seen him emerge as one of the league's most accomplished cornerbacks. There was one early mistake when he failed to wrap up Jauan Jennings, but the former South Carolina star made up for this almost immediately with two stunning interceptions in the first half.

Unfortunately for the Panthers, they secured just three points from three Brock Purdy picks in the first half. That was highly disappointing, and Horn's contribution also came screeching to an abrupt halt soon after.

Horn was spotted vomiting on the sidelines after his second takeaway. He felt nauseous at the break but was ruled out almost immediately with a concussion. With the Panthers about to embark on a short week before facing the formidable Los Angeles Rams, not having him available would be catastrophic.

Loser No. 3

Ja'Tavion Sanders - Carolina Panthers TE

The Panthers have a problem at the tight end position. And this centers on the severe regression of Ja'Tavion Sanders.

The No. 101 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft was widely projected to have a breakout campaign this season. Sanders flashed as a pass-catcher last season, but things have not gone nearly as well this time around. And just why Dan Canales utilized him as an escort blocker on occasion is anyone's guess.

Almost every contending team has a productive tight end who can provide a reliable security blanket to move the chains. All hope isn't lost with Sanders — he's not even 23 years old yet. But there is a significant amount of development needed before he can be considered as a legitimate No. 1 option.

And if he cannot show the required growth over Carolina's remaining five games, general manager Dan Morgan will find someone who can next spring.