Carolina Panthers: Offense has been far from a disappointment

It has not always been pretty, but the Carolina Panthers offense is getting the job done and winning football games.

In what has been an interesting season for the Carolina Panthers, the team currently sits at 2-2 with an opportunity to get above .500 this Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars. So far, Kyle Allen has looked the part of starting quarterback. Moreover, his offensive teammates have been able to help him out. It hasn’t been flashy, but the Panthers have gotten the job done offensively.

As the team heads into Sunday’s game with Jacksonville, it will be interesting to see how the offense handles this challenge. Jacksonville’s defensive line is one of the most potent in all of football, and their secondary is tough as well. It will be a great challenge to see where this team is at and if Allen can once again pull out a win. Despite how well the Panthers have been playing, there is no doubt that this offense needs some work. However, I have a feeling it has to do with personnel rather than individual talent.

Brendan Marks of the Charlotte Observer did a question and answer session on Friday. In it, one of the questions for him to answer was the offense. At first thought, his answer didn’t make much sense. His explanation however certainly gave me a little bit more background into what he was thinking.

"The offense overall. McCaffrey has been as advertised and then some, and Greg Olsen has had a solid comeback season. But with the shuffling between Cam Newton and Kyle Allen, there just hasn’t been a ton of consistency in the passing game. DJ Moore and Curtis Samuel are both explosive, but that hasn’t been unlocked through four games. I’d imagine that will continue to evolve, but things haven’t looked in-sync thus far. The offensive line hasn’t been flawless, either."

I would certainly agree with this. McCaffrey and Olsen have really played well over the past couple of games. They have been the two strongest players on the offense at the moment. However, I would argue that the reason some players haven’t been productive is because they are dealing with a second-year quarterback. Allen certainly has not played like a second-year quarterback. If anything, he has played almost like a veteran these past couple of games.

Allen is playing the quarterback position smartly. He is trying to get the ball down the field and get the ball into the hands of his receivers. I don’t think he’s necessarily trying to go for the big play. I think he is trying to manage the game per se. The statistics don’t necessarily show it. He has 493 yards and four touchdowns on the year. Averaging 246.5 passing yards per game, he is certainly more than just a game manager. However, I think he is just trying to do what it takes to win rather than going for the flashy play. So far it has worked out for Carolina.

Has the offense been a disappointment in the cases of some players? Yes, it has. However, overall they are doing a great job just trying to win and get the ball down the field. That’s all you can ask out of them. Has the offense been uneven at times? Yes. Has the offense been a disappointment? No.