Carolina Panthers final play sums up loss to Detroit Lions
The “quarterback has to make that play” sums up 20-19, Carolina Panthers loss.
While Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton put an ‘I’ in front of that statement about making the play in the post-game press conference, every studio expert and Panthers fan *everywhere* had already said the same thing. With all the time necessary, no real pass rush from Detroit, and a WIDE open Jarius Wright straight ahead, Newton airmailed a two-point conversion high and wide, making the Panthers 20-19 losers to the Detroit Lions and dropping their season record to 6-4.
How do you make people forget a 25 for 37 performance with 357 yards and three touchdowns (one INT) day in a heartbeat? Miss that open pass by a bunch. Sartorially speaking, the optics of admitting you’re responsible for costing your team a victory works better when showing up with a humbler ‘hat in hand’ vs. feather in the hat dandy look might just be picky, but… Most of the in-studio ‘experts’ didn’t have a problem with going for two, primarily because Detroit had three time outs, a kicker with a strong leg, and 1:07 to work against a Panthers defense that allowed extra yardage throughout the game. Still, your quarterback HAS to make that wide open completion or yep, you’re gonna lose.
Okay, kicker Graham Gano shanked an extra point -his third missed PAT of the year- and clunked a relatively easy 34-yard field goal off an upright to break a string of 28 straight makes, either of which would have negated the need to try a two-point conversion at the end. It’s also elementally true that if anyone in a black uniform could have gotten Lions running back Kerryon Johnson on the ground before he got the majority of his 87 yards on 15 carries after contact, OR if wide receiver Kenny Golladay‘s eight catches for 113 yards and a touchdown didn’t look like the second coming of Calvin Johnson – THAT might have made a significant difference.
Admittedly, Golladay’s 19-yard score while fully extended in a backward layout was superb, and with the trade of Golden Tate three weeks ago he’s the Lions best receiver, but he is NOT ‘Megatron’ Johnson, a beast who frequently ran over defensive backs after catches.
Cam Newton put an ‘I’ in front of that statement about making the play in the post-game press conference, (but) every studio expert and Panthers fan *everywhere* had already said the same thing.
Statistics around Newton’s day- and the rise in D.J. Moore’s stock as a result of seven catches (out of eight targets) and a thrilling 82-yard catch and run- as part of 157 yards and one receiving touchdown, was balanced by a brutal case of the drops from Devin Funchess (2/8 targets, 39 yards). Christian McCaffrey‘s 13 carries for 53 yards and 6 catches accounting for 57 receiving yards- including a terrific 34-yard gainer. Curtis Samuel continuing his steady play with five (of seven targets) catches for 55 yards and a touchdown and Jarius Wright’s (3/3 for 40 yards) were an accumulation of efforts that should have meant a lot more post game. Good as that- and two 90+ yard drives– were to see, Moore’s touchdown- a leaping grab and tip-toe in the end zone– was both a testament to his ‘ups’ and perhaps a foreshadowing of Newton’s on-going tendency to throw far too many passes high and hard.
37 yards and three first downs the rest of the first half- say what?
After the Panthers opened the game with a ten play, 90-yard drive with Newton going five of six passing and Greg Olsen (2 catches, 9 yards) added another touchdown to his successful season, they seemed to check out offensively, gaining only 37 yards and three first downs the rest of the first half. As strong as Samuel looked catching a 12-yard TD to finish the Panthers second long drive, tight end Olsen’s ‘disappearing ninja style’ should have commanded more than three targets.
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For what it’s worth, Newton’s last 350-plus yard, three touchdown passing game was against Detroit last October.
The defense looked pitiful the entire game, as they frequently seemed to be grasping for a jersey versus actually tackling, and produced only a single sack of Matt Stafford (25/37, 220 yards, 1 TD), who has been nailed 16 times the last two games. They allowed Detroit to march 72 yards in 12 plays for a touchdown that evened the game immediately after Olsen’s score, and a 54-yard field goal by the Lions Matt Prater late in the half had them down 10-7 at intermission.
Are the Panthers still in decent position for a playoff spot?
Well, with two games against all-time great Drew Brees of New Orleans coming at the end of the season, there’s more than a little chill in the air about that. If not for the fact that Washington Redskins quarterback Alex Smith suffered a season-ending broken leg, and the Panthers still have a one game edge on a mob of 5-5 teams in the NFC…
Next. Why Conversion Attempt Was the Wrong Decision. dark
Well, actually that doesn’t reduce any of the wailing and gnashing of Panthers faithful who undoubtedly screamed at the TV set yesterday afternoon.