What would the Panthers record look like with Christian McCaffrey?
By Dean Jones
Which results would have been better with Christian McCaffrey?
One player doesn’t tend to alter the outcome too much. The NFL is a team sport and prides itself on every phase of the game – whether it be offense, defense, or special teams – making a significant difference on any given down.
That being said, Christian McCaffrey one of those rare players that change the whole dynamic. His mere presence on the field alters defensive schemes and this opens things up for other offensive playmakers to make their presence felt.
The Carolina Panthers might have been able to come away from their game at the Chicago Bears with a victory in Week 6. But their defense was playing at a high level and made things incredibly difficult throughout the contest.
Week 7 at the Saints might also have gone in Carolina’s favor with McCaffrey in the lineup and a victory at the Kansas City Chiefs wasn’t out of the realm of possibility had the Pro Bowler been on the field in the closing stages.
Last weekend’s loss at the Vikings was another game where the Panthers missed McCaffrey’s presence badly. They ran the ball well in the first half before completely going away from it after the break, which wouldn’t have been the case with the face of the franchise in the backfield.