4 key takeaways from the Panthers’ loss vs. the Bucs in Week 10

Some key takeaways from the Carolina Panthers’ loss to the Bucs.

It proved to be another afternoon to forget for the Carolina Panthers. A second-half collapse saw them comfortably beaten by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Bank of America Stadium, which was their fifth-straight loss and takes them to 3-7 through ten weeks of the 2020 season.

The Week 13 bye cannot come quick enough for the Carolina Panthers. They have been steadily declining since a three-game winning run that now seems like a distant memory and a once-promising campaign is now threatening to go exactly as many people expected.

This was as bad as it gets. The Panthers struggled to move the ball offensively and their defense was porous once again.

To rub further salt into the wounds, there were concerning injuries to cornerback Donte Jackson and quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who went off with a knee injury in the fourth quarter that would all-but end Carolina’s chances of gaining any semblance of respectability from the season.

Here are four key takeaways from a confidence-sapping defeat on home soil.

Takeaway No. 1

The Carolina Panthers defense couldn’t get off the field

Stop us if you’ve heard this one before.

The Panthers just can’t seem to get off the field and in this case, they couldn’t stop the Bucs at any stage. This was yet another game that exposed some serious flaws from a defensive standpoint and this was the worst-case scenario against a loaded offense that smelled blood from their opening drive.

It’s getting to the point now where another complete overhaul might be in the offing next spring. Carolina’s current options aren’t going to get them where they need to go and even if the team somehow manages to string some wins together, it shouldn’t mask just how poorly this unit has played collectively in recent weeks.

Tampa Bay had more than 500 yards of total offense, which is simply unacceptable.