4 key takeaways from the Panthers’ narrow loss at the Saints

The Carolina Panthers couldn’t stop Alvin Kamara

It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what the New Orleans Saints were going to do on offense. They were without the services of Michael Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders at the wide receiver spot, so there was going to be more touches for Alvin Kamara than ever.

Something the Carolina Panthers couldn’t cope with.

How much longer are the linebackers going to get before they are benched. Both Tahir Whitehead and Shaq Thompson were sluggish once again, with the dismal gap penetration was something that came across heavily throughout the contest.

Jeremy Chinn was his lively self, and it is easy to forget the rookie is still learning on the job after coming into the NFL as a safety. Kamara was a constant force either between the tackles or as an outside runner, which is a theme that opposing teams seem to have figured out as one of the best ways to get notable yardage on the Panthers going forward.

This was probably the first game that Carolina really missed Kawann Short. The veteran Pro Bowler has endured tough luck with injuries over the last two seasons, but there is little doubt that the Panthers needed him in the trenches for the stiff test Kamara gave them.

There was a reason the Saints paid so much money to Kamara this offseason. He eventually finished the game with 14 rushes for 83 yards, in addition to eight receptions for 65 yards. Simply put, the Panthers had no answer for his elite skill set.