4 critical observations from Panthers’ loss vs. Browns in Week 1

What were some critical observations from a heartbreaking opening day loss for the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium?

Football season is back, and once again the Carolina Panthers broke our hearts. After a turgid first half where the offense found no consistency, Baker Mayfield scored two touchdowns – one with his legs and one through the air – to lead his team back into the game.

However, on a day when the Panthers’ offense started to click after a rough opening, the defense found little to no consistency.

Crucial penalties from C.J. Henderson and Jaycee Horn coupled with the Panthers’ expected struggles against the run meant that Carolina’s defense could not hold up. Despite this, an Eddy Pineiro field goal with 80 seconds remaining put the home team up 24-23 and it seemed they had a glimmer of hope.

But some questionable officiating calls meant the Panthers couldn’t keep the Cleveland Browns out of the danger zone. On a day where kicking troubles radiated around the league, rookie fourth-round selection Cade York drilled a 58-yard attempt to provide Kevin Stefanski’s men with their first opening day victory since 2004.

There was plenty to ponder for the Panthers, who face another stern test of their credentials next Sunday at the rejuvenated New York Giants. This poses a huge challenge for head coach Matt Rhule, with much work ahead in the coming days in pursuit of getting back on track following their eighth-straight defeat dating back to last season.

With that being said, here are four critical observations as the Panthers opened the 2022 season tasting yet another loss.

Carolina Panthers DC Phil Snow’s seat is starting to warm up

The one Carolina Panthers coordinator heading into the season seemingly with their job the safest was Phil Snow. However, after a tough afternoon at Bank of America Stadium on Sunday, it’s fair to say that the seat while not as hot as head coach Matt Rhule’s, is certainly starting to warm up.

Snow was chippy with reporters in the week when asked how Carolina would improve against the run, an area in which they struggled in 2021. One would think those comments from the defensive coordinator would be backed up on the field.

Instead, fears were realized. The Cleveland Browns’ offense exploded for 217 total rushing yards on 39 carries, which is an average of more than 5.5 yards per play.

We also saw the Panthers’ front seven on defense create very little pressure on backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett, getting just a single sack courtesy of linebacker Damien Wilson. Considering this was a team missing their first and second-choice right tackles, this particular statistic was extremely disappointing.

The Panthers also struggled on third down giving up 8-18 and 1-2 on fourth down. While there’s no indication Snow will lose his job, the experienced coach is now in Year 3 and the fact Carolina is still having problems against the run is a major complication that must be rectified somehow before going up against Saquon Barkley next weekend.

Another difficult day for Carolina Panthers HC Matt Rhule

Another season and we see the same troubling aspects of a Matt Rhule-coached team. Once again penalties plagued the Carolina Panthers – especially on the defensive side – with both Jaycee Horn and C.J. Henderson getting crucial penalties coming at critical periods and hurt the team considerably.

In Henderson’s case, his infringement for defensive pass interference negated a possible interception from Xavier Woods. And there’s just no telling what this could have done to the overall outcome.

We saw some questionable decisions Rhule made during the offseason have an impact in Week 1. Waiting to name Baker Mayfield the starter after the second preseason game denied him valuable reps with the first team, and this showed as the quarterback struggled to find any consistency in the first half.

Rhule is on a short leash when it comes to fan support. Losing an opening day contest to a franchise without its starting signal-caller will do little to make those in the stands alter their perception of the former Baylor man and his ability to successfully lead an NFL franchise.

The Panthers and especially Rhule must respond in Week 2 on the road against the New York Giants – the scene of arguably his worst defeat since replacing Ron Rivera.

A mixed day for Carolina Panthers OC Ben McAdoo

It was certainly an up-and-down day for new offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo. In the first half, we saw his play-calling create little rhythm – mainly due to a lack of run game – with the Carolina Panthers surprisingly giving Christian McCaffrey just three carries over the opening two quarters.

But to give McAdoo credit, we saw second-half adjustment rarely seen under Matt Rhule. The Panthers scored 17 points in the fourth quarter, which coincided unsurprisingly with McCaffrey seeing much more of the ball and Baker Mayfield finally getting comfortable under center.

While it’s understandable the Panthers may want to limit McCaffrey due to his injury concerns, he’s still Carolina’s most dynamic player and should be given the ball at every opportunity.

In defense of McAdoo, he was up against a Cleveland Browns’ defensive unit that boasts playmakers everywhere you look. So, the fact we saw actual adjustments which translated to a much more competent offense in the second half is a positive for the former New York Giants head coach moving forward.

One would imagine the Panthers’ offense will look to continue their fourth quarter production in Week 2 when they face a Giants team much less talented than Cleveland. Although Brian Daboll’s men will be full of confidence following an impressive win at the Tenessee Titans to begin their campaign.

Carolina Panthers rookie Ikem Ekwonu survived his first NFL test

A lot has been made of how rookie left tackle Ikem Ekwonu would fare during his competitive NFL debut. The No. 6 overall selection went up against arguably the league’s premier edge rusher in Myles Garrett, and on the whole, he did as well as expected.

Garrett ended the game with four tackles and two sacks, which came on back-to-back plays. At times during the contest, Ekwonu was left on an island by offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo, which was always going to cause issues versus Garrett at some stage.

Considering Ekwonu was known for his dominance in the run game, the Carolina Panthers’ hesitance to pull the North Carolina State product and set the tone right out of the gate was bemusing, to put it mildly.

However, as the game progressed, we saw Ekwonu start to get more comfortable, getting a crucial block on Garrett that provided quarterback Baker Mayfield with enough time to hit Robbie Anderson on a 75-yard touchdown pass.

Fans need to remember that Ekwonu will rarely if not ever come against someone with the skill set of Garrett during the season. There’s a reason he had 16 sacks in 2021 and is a two-time All-Pro.

This first week was always going to be a learning curve for the rookie as he forms a partnership with Brady Christensen on the left side of Carolina’s revamped offensive line. Ekwonu’s learning experience was steep and sometimes harsh, but it should stand the lineman in good stead.