After watching All-22 footage from the Carolina Panthers’ loss at the New York Giants, there are some overlooked thoughts to discuss.
With all the turbulence surrounding the Carolina Panthers after their 0-2 start, the details lie in the tape as always. Fans and analysts get a great chance to view exactly this via the NFL’s coaches – or All-22 – film, giving a broader perspective of what’s occurring all over the field on any given play.
Results are the most disappointing factor of all, especially to Panthers fans who’ve witnessed the team win just 10 times since Matt Rhule was appointed head coach. But positive elements or false narratives can sometimes become prevalent when examining the tape.
Sunday’s game at the New York Giants was a prime example of this. Even though it’s a contest Carolina should have won considering Brian Daboll’s men were missing some key personnel on defense, leaving Rhule facing serious questions about his future once again.
With that being said, we picked out four overlooked thoughts after studying the All-22 from the Panthers’ ninth-straight reverse dating back to last season.
Overlooked Thought No. 1
Derrick Brown was forceful on Carolina Panthers DL
If Derrick Brown had plenty of criticism thrown his way in Week 1, he responded finely at the New York Giants. The Carolina Panthers are expecting big things from the former No. 7 overall selection in Year 3 of his professional career and there was a lot to like about the way he applied himself at MetLife Stadium.
Brown sheds his blocks well, was an imposing run-stuffing presence over the opening three quarters, and took up enough space for others like Matt Ioannidis and Brian Burns to have a bigger impact on proceedings.
This was a step in the right direction for Brown. One he can hopefully build upon throughout the campaign.
Carolina Panthers OL showed signs of life
It’s easy to scapegoat the Carolina Panthers’ offensive line. This has been a major weak link over the previous two seasons under Matt Rhule and although things weren’t perfect at the New York Giants, the process is slowly starting to gel for the much-improved unit.
The Panthers invested heavily in their protection this offseason. Although the Giants were missing two prominent starting pass-rushers in their 3-4 scheme, it was arguably one of the best outings this group has put together since Rhule took charge.
Austin Corbett demonstrated what he can bring to the Panthers after an indifferent Week 1 outing against the Cleveland Browns. He was dependable on running downs and the pass protection was outstanding more often than not en route to giving up just one hurry.
Taylor Moton, Brady Christensen, and even Pat Elflein performed up to their credentials. However, there are some clear growing pains where 2022 first-round pick Ikem Ekwonu is concerned, which isn’t entirely unexpected given his lack of experience.
Ekwonu gave up a crucial sack in another key moment along with two hurries. But considering how he fared in the face of Myles Garrett last weekend, it was encouraging overall.
What’s most important moving forward is quarterback Baker Mayfield remaining composed in the pocket. At times, the signal-caller brought pressure on himself, which should progress the more familiar he becomes with those in front of him.
Carolina Panthers’ offense was too vanilla
After reports of team owner David Tepper wanting a rockstar offensive coordinator to replace Joe Brady, the appointment of Ben McAdoo wasn’t what many had in mind. One glaring feature from the All-22 footage from Sunday’s loss centered on the same old complications on offense and a coach that cannot seem to be creative enough to maximize the outstanding weapons at his disposal.
McAdoo’s offense is deemed to be complex to learn by players, who’ve stated this many times during his various roles around the league. However, what we’ve seen during his first two games with the Carolina Panthers is bland, vanilla play calls that opposing defenses can see coming from a mile away.
There is almost no pre-snap motion and the route concepts are stagnant. The NFL has changed a lot since McAdoo last held a prominent play-calling position and unless he adapts, then the Panthers will be among the bottom-feeders for a third-straight year.
Target allocation is the last of Carolina’s worries when looking at the tape. McAdoo is not playing to the team’s strengths and the likes of D.J. Moore are suffering as a result.
One of the most frustrating things to watch on tape is the hope McAdoo might figure things out before the offense disappears. For example, Moore had 45 receiving yards and a touchdown on their opening second-half drive at the New York Giants, only for the former first-round pick to get one target thereafter.
Unacceptable. And changes must be made quickly.
Carolina Panthers are failing Brian Burns
Given there is no more Haason Reddick flying off the edge, Brian Burns has more responsibility on his shoulders than ever before. The defensive end was an absolute force of nature against the New York Giants in Week 2, giving first-round selection Evan Neal a torrid time en route to some exceptional numbers statistically.
Burns’ explosiveness and elite bend came across in a big way at MetLife Stadium. He was the only player seemingly guaranteed to create pressure with a fierce drive and determination that played a leading role in a big-time turnaround for the Carolina Panthers on defense.
However, there was one obvious concern. Defensive coordinator Phil Snow’s insistence to drop Burns back in coverage is failing the Florida State product and preventing the team from coming up with the goods in critical moments.
The Panthers have invested heavily in their secondary with trades, extensions, and high-end draft picks of late. Surely they are deep enough to fill coverage positions and allow Burns to do what he does best – generate havoc in opposing backfields.
Snow needs to recognize when Burns has momentum and adjust accordingly. The Giants were having untold trouble preventing him from doing damage, so to see the former first-round pick in coverage was no doubt a relief for Neal and quarterback Daniel Jones.
Simply put, the Panthers need to stop overcomplicating things. Especially considering what’s at stake for Matt Rhule and his staff in the coming weeks.