What were the major factors to blame as the Carolina Panthers fell to an expected but disappointing defeat at the Buffalo Bills in Week 15?
The Carolina Panthers entered their daunting Week 15 game at the Buffalo Bills with expectations at an all-time low. Bettors were keen to wager heavily on the home team despite the initial 10.5-point spread that changed to 14.0 points by the time kickoff came around, which was a strong reflection of the challenge awaiting Matt Rhule and his players at Highmark Stadium.
Buffalo at this time of year is far from an ideal place to travel. Freezing temperatures and harsh football weather made this even more challenging for the Panthers and especially considering the torrid run of form they’re currently in the midst of after such a promising start.
As it turned out, the spread reflected how the game ended up. Carolina was second best for much of the afternoon and had a losing record for the fourth-straight season with three games remaining confirmed following another reverse.
Without further ado, here are five major factors to blame for Carolina’s demise in Week 15 at the Bills.
Major Factor No. 1
Carolina Panthers lost Zane Gonzalez in warmups
The writing was probably on the wall for the Panthers long before the game actually kicked off. Zane Gonzalez was helped off the field during warmups with a quad injury and was ruled out of the clash soon after.
This was a monumental blow for Carolina, who’ve relied heavily on Gonzalez’s consistency throughout the campaign. It also forced Rhule and his staff to alter their gameplan ever so slightly at the last minute, which isn’t exactly a recipe for success.
Hopefully, the injury to Gonzalez isn’t too serious and he can take his place in the lineup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But even if the kicker doesn’t see any more action this season, the Panthers should extend him this spring.