What were the major factors that decided an emotional occasion between the Carolina Panthers and Washington Football Team in Week 11?
One would have to go back quite some time to find a game Carolina Panthers fans were looking forward to more than their Week 11 clash against the Washington Football Team.
The presence of Cam Newton at Bank of America Stadium as the team’s starter played a substantial part in this, but Ron Rivera also returned to the place where he enjoyed tremendous success in the 2010s. Something which added to the overall excitement of the occasion.
The build-up was extraordinary. So it was probably nice for Newton, Rivera, and everyone to focus on football once the game began.
As it turned out, this was a disappointing outcome for the Panthers, who were dealt a significant blow to their playoff chances with their sixth defeat of the campaign.
Without further ado, here are five major factors that determined the outcome of Carolina’s game against Washington in Week 11.
Major Factor No. 1
Penalties cost the Carolina Panthers in big moments
Remember the “Don’t Beat Ourselves” sign that was prominent across training camp? Well, the message continues to get ignored if this game was any indication.
The Panthers were once again victims of their own demise with costly penalties in key moments. This halted their momentum just enough for Washington to hold on and gain revenge for Ron Rivera.
Carolina gave up seven penalties for 65 yards throughout the contest. Although this was fewer than Washington on the day, it was the timing of the infringements that made a massive difference.
A lack of discipline cost the Panthers in a big way. And in all honesty, not for the first time this season.
Carolina Panthers couldn’t stop the run
Phil Snow’s defense was conceding 107 yards per game on the ground before Sunday. But it’s also worth noting that they’ve shopped substantial yardage against the run in almost every defeat this season.
Something that proved to be the case once again in Week 11.
The Carolina Panthers were porous stopping the run. And things looked promising early on when they forced Antonio Gibson into a red-zone fumble.
After that, it was one-way traffic as Washington’s offensive line had their way with Carolina’s defensive front en route to 190 rushing yards from 40 total carries.
Simply put, it was not good enough. And the Panthers defense sure picked a day to have their most lethargic performance of the campaign.
Hopefully, this is just a small bump in the road and they can get back on track next weekend at the Miami Dolphins. But run-stopping has become a problem when things aren’t going the Panthers’ way at times.
What made matters worse was Washington’s offensive line being banged up and still managing to generate push consistently. Carolina’s defensive front just wasn’t at the races and it was too much for the offense to overcome.
Carolina Panthers struggled on 3rd down
It was a bad afternoon for the Carolina Panthers on third down. This was a problem on both sides of the football and something that played a leading role in their eventual demise.
You aren’t going to win much going 2-9 on third down and 1-3 on fourth down. Although quarterback Cam Newton played well considering his limited knowledge of the playbook with just one week of practice to go off.
Just bad execution in key moments coupled with poor situational football. And when one examines the Panthers’ efforts in 2021, these will be two areas that deserve to be scrutinized heavily.
If that wasn’t enough, the defense just couldn’t get Washington off the field. Something they can take advantage of with Taylor Heinicke under center as was proven in their upset win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 10.
Washington went 6-13 on third down and a perfect 2-2 on fourth-down conversions. The fact they managed to move the chains from a 3rd-and-21 situation in the second half was unacceptable and a microcosm of how things went for Carolina in this statistical category.
Back to the drawing board, one suspects. But these problems are ongoing and it comes down to coaching staff adjustments – or a lack thereof – to get better.
Carolina Panthers had no answer for Terry McLaurin
Curtis Samuel was unable to prove his fitness and take the field against his former team. But one wide receiver stood up and made his presence felt from start to finish.
The Washington Football Team was depending on Terry McLaurin more than ever before. And he delivered with a special performance that further enhanced his reputation as one of the league’s brightest young players at the position.
McLaurin gave Donte Jackson and the Carolina Panthers an untold amount of problems. One that didn’t really get solved unless All-Pro cornerback Stephon Gilmore was matched up against him.
Just why Gilmore didn’t get this responsibility prominently was bemusing. But the Panthers are clearly limiting the corner’s snaps as he continues to work his way back from a torn quad.
Blown coverages and miscommunication didn’t exactly help, either.
The Ohio State product’s stat line of five receptions for 103 receiving yards and a touchdown could have been more had Taylor Heinicke connected with McLaurin when open. Washington also got plenty of success in the run game that meant the passing attack wasn’t needed all that much.
Everyone who matched up with him had a tough time outside of Gilmore. In Jackson’s case, this was his most disappointing performance of 2021 by a considerable margin.
Carolina Panthers were outcoached
This would have been incredibly satisfying for Ron Rivera, who got one over on the team that fired him on his first visit back to Bank of America Stadium. It was a masterful gameplan for the head coach, who snuffed out pretty quickly what the Carolina Panthers were doing on offense and knew exactly where to attack the defensive side of things thanks to his previous knowledge of some personnel.
These smooth adjustments made a significant difference as the game went on. Something Matt Rhule and his staff couldn’t match and this ongoing complication is holding the Panthers back.
That’s the long and short of it, really.
Making excuses for poor execution and sloppy situational football is all well and good and might fly in other organizations. But not when it occurs most weeks.
Rhule is no longer a rookie head coach learning his craft. So it’s about time he started acting like it and start making the correct in-game adjustments that counteract what the other team is doing and provide a spark that simple isn’t there for the Panthers immediately after the halftime break.
Until this happens, the Panthers will only get so far. If last weekend’s shock win at the Arizona Cardinals was their most complete display of 2021, then this one saw them revert to type.
And nobody will have been happier about this than Rivera.