Matt Rhule’s era is being defined by indecisiveness

Matt Rhule’s tenure with the Carolina Panthers so far

Matt Rhule has officially been the head coach of the Carolina Panthers for 29 games. These have largely been frustrating experiences for the entire organization.

While the Panthers have a long list of problems right now, a lot of those issues can be traced back to Rhule’s inability to have a clear plan for what sort of identity he’s trying to construct in Carolina.

The Panthers made headlines a week ago after the firing of offensive coordinator Joe Brady. The decision itself to move on did not exactly come as a major shock, as Carolina’s offense had been faltering for weeks.

However, the timing of the move generated some valid confusion.

Carolina was on their bye week last Sunday, so it would have been logical to move on from firing Brady immediately following the disastrous Week 12 loss at the Miami Dolphins. This would have given interim offensive coordinator Jeff Nixon extra time to prepare for his first experience calling plays at the next level. Instead, Rhule stubbornly waited before pulling the trigger.

While Carolina’s offense has continuously trended downwards since the first month of the season, Rhule has been consistent in one stance.

He wants the team to run the ball more.

Many in the media speculate this could be one reason he decided to move on from Brady. However, if Rhule is so incessant on running the ball, it makes the hiring of LSU‘s former passing game coordinator even more puzzling in the first place.

Brady was an architect behind the most dominant offense in modern college football history. The 2019 Tigers racked up accolades and records on their way to a dominant National Championship run, and the team was defined by their dynamic passing attack.

Yet, following the departure of Brady, Rhule claimed he went “out of his comfort zone” when hiring Brady.

This begs another obvious question.

If Rhule has always been determined to build a team that wins on the ground, why was Brady even hired in the first place?

If the goal was always to win games on the ground, it seems a bit counterproductive to hire an offensive mind that built his reputation through the passing attack. The entire sequence of events between Brady’s hiring and his premature dismissal again displays a coach that has never had a concrete plan for the construction of his franchise.