3 silver linings from the Carolina Panthers 2021 season

Carolina Panthers fans get clarity regarding Matt Rhule

Coming into the new season there was an air of optimism. The Carolina Panthers had thoughts of new hope and seeing the rebuild through, as the 2020 team lost eight of16 games by just one score and were more competitive than many anticipated.

When you have a team that is under a first-year head coach and has the majority of their losses come by close margins, it shows a belief in the system they’re playing in.

When a team loses by one score, it can mainly be attested to small breakdowns in defensive assignments or lapses of judgment on offense which are bound to happen when players are still adjusting to a new system.

When a squad looks at all those results, it galvanizes them into believing that maybe, just maybe, when that next season rolls around, they can turn those close defeats into victories.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t the case.

The Panthers finished with a similar record at 5-12 but had far more disappointing defeats. The team looked like they were stagnant in the rebuilding progress.

Carolina’s offense was the problem last season. And it was all the same issues this time around, just in different ways.

Team owner David Tepper is expected to keep faith with head coach Matt Rhule despite increasing pressure regarding his job status. At the very least, this season gave us a clearer picture of how his tenure will play out unless something drastic happens during his third year at the helm.

We all know next August, Rhule will be on the hot seat. It’s make-or-break for him and for many associated with the Panthers, this season provided clarity as to whether or not he is the right man for the job – even if the only opinion that counts is Tepper’s.