4 huge disappointments from the Panthers win vs. Saints in Week 3

Carolina Panthers couldn’t get Christian McCaffrey going in the passing game

Christian McCaffrey is off to a great start on the ground so far this year with 243 rushing yards, which is joint-fourth in the NFL alongside Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson. More importantly, the injuries that have blighted the player in recent years seem to be holding off, for now at least.

He is back to the old McCaffrey on the ground, making a huge impact on the struggling Carolina Panthers offense. Two consecutive 100-yard games are highly encouraging and the patience displayed by the Stanford product in the face of a stern New Orleans Saints defense was a testament to his overall talent.

Another area where the All-Pro is a game changer is in the passing game. Yet so far, McCaffrey has seen little attention in that regard with just 10 receptions for 57 yards receiving yards.

Ben McAdoo and Matt Rhule have to make it an emphasis that McCaffrey sees more targets in the passing game or this offense will continue to look like they’re sinking in quicksand week by week.

The underutilization of McCaffrey in this area of the field is near criminal. Although there is a need not to put too much on the player’s shoulders given he’s featured just 10 times in two years before the current campaign.

This would also make things life easier for Baker Mayfield, which is something the signal-caller would welcome after a less than stellar three-game stint to begin his Panthers career.