5 big talking points from Carolina Panthers’ loss at the Cowboys in Week 4
By Luke Gray
Carolina Panthers staff must improve game management
It wasn’t only just on the field we saw mistakes from the Carolina Panthers today. Head coach Matt Rhule made some questionable decisions on the sideline, the most costly being to go for a 54-yard field goal attempt for Zane Gonzalez.
And yes, the Panthers still need a new kicker. Nothing has changed.
Gonzalez almost inevitably missed the kick giving Dak Prescott a short field and just four plays later Dallas was in the end zone. Up by one point at the time, the smart play was to punt the ball away, pin the Cowboys in deep, and allow your defense to do their job.
Other questionable decisions included burning two timeouts in the third quarter meaning that when it came to the last drive and Carolina needed a stop, they had nothing left. Making it easier for Dallas to see the game out.
It seemed that one way or the other the frantic nature of the play on the field may have spread to the sideline or vice versa. As a relatively inexperienced head coach at this level mistakes may happen, but this is something that Rhule needs to try and phase out if the Panthers want to be contenders.