What are some big keys for the Carolina Panthers as they look to potentially salvage something from the 2021 season after the bye?
Well, any chance of a nice and quiet bye week was shattered when the Carolina Panthers shockingly cut ties with offensive coordinator Joe Brady on Sunday with very little explanation as to why the team chose such an odd moment to part ways.
If this had been the plan all along, then why not let the replacement use the bye week to help prepare themself for the added responsibility of play-calling?
This move screams of disorder and gives a sense that the organization has already given up on the season, just like most of the fanbase, and is firmly looking toward next year and putting itself in the best position to compete in 2022.
A team fighting for a wild card does not suddenly fire a high-level coach.
The move to hire Brady was a questionable one from the start. Asking a passing game coordinator to suddenly deploy a run-first attack is not the easiest of things to accomplish.
With that said, while there wasn’t a loss in Week 13, there was certainly a lot for Panthers fans to scratch their heads at. They have every right to be disappointed in a team that has fallen so far so quickly.
Looking forward to Week 14, the Panthers have a matchup with the longtime rival Atlanta Falcons in a battle of 5-7 teams with former superstar quarterbacks looking to recapture recent glories. While Carolina came out the victor back in Week 8, neither of these teams are the same.
Sam Darnold was a game manager and Matt Ryan threw two interceptions on the Panthers’ side of the field. Now Cam Newton is back in town, coming off his worst game as a pro, and the Panthers’ secondary has been ravaged by injuries.
This season is no longer about winning for the Panthers.
It’s about testing talent and giving young players some much-needed experience. While the Falcons are fighting for one more run before the old guard walks into the sunset.
The stakes are high for the Panthers. Here are four keys to potentially salvaging their 2021 season.