10 quick thoughts from the Carolina Panthers loss vs. 49ers in Week 5

Carolina Panthers going nowhere with Matt Rhule

Matt Rhule is a man under fire and has been for some time. The Carolina Panthers have won just 11 games since he replaced Ron Rivera in 2020 and with the team now at 1-4, he might not have much longer to turn things around.

Team owner David Tepper is losing the faith of the fanbase. Rhule might be a good program builder in college, but that hasn’t translated to the pros and if anything, the Panthers are regressing rather than improving under his leadership.

Baker Mayfield is running out of time

It was a little better from Baker Mayfield in Week 5 against a top defensive unit. But there are still some serious flaws to his game and time is rapidly running out in pursuit of convincing people he can be a starting-caliber NFL quarterback.

Aside from the pick-six and some indifferent throws, it wasn’t terrible from Mayfield. Even if the offense continued to falter behind a scheme that isn’t living up to its preseason billing.

Just where Mayfield goes from here remains to be seen. However, it’s increasingly likely that his time in Carolina will be a short-term arrangement.

Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper must speak

With empty stands, a poor football product, and morale at an all-time low, it’s time for fans to hear from David Tepper. The long-suffering fanbase has heard nothing from the billionaire since before the draft and the overall culture across the organization is arguably the worst it’s been in franchise history.

Nothing good came from Sunday’s loss and Tepper didn’t have to look far to see how bad things are getting. Just how much he cares is debatable, but any confidence in his ownership has now completely evaporated past the point of no return.