4 key takeaways from the Panthers loss vs. the Falcons in Week 8

The Carolina Panthers offense was less fluid than usual

For all the faults you can point at the defense, and there were plenty, the Carolina Panthers also didn’t get much on offense throughout the game.

This was all the more surprising as they got off to a fast start, something that has been key behind their success this season, especially during Carolina’s three-game winning run.

A lot of this was down to a lack of protection, but the execution that was evident in their loss at the Saints last weekend was simply missing at stages. There were some outstanding plays, most notably to Curtis Samuel, but the fluidity was missing and this is what the Panthers needs to get the most out of the playmakers at their disposal.

There seemed to be some communication problems between Teddy Bridgewater and center Matt Paradis, which meant the quarterback had to get off his spot quickly and try to make things happen on the move. This is something that came with mixed success and if the same happens over the next fortnight, it is going to bring nothing but misery.

D.J. Moore and Robby Anderson were relatively anonymous by their high standards, and Mike Davis what might be his final start before the return of Christian McCaffrey with another moderate contribution.