What were some quick thoughts to take from the Carolina Panthers’ loss against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 5?
Things looked bleak for the Carolina Panthers heading into their Week 5 game against the San Francisco 49ers. Nobody outside of a few optimistic fans expected them to generate any positive momentum at Bank of America Stadium against one of the league’s best defenses, so tensions were obviously running high within the stands almost from start to finish.
Matt Rhule’s nervous demeanor won’t have been aided by another week of speculation surrounding his future. The Panthers are seemingly going nowhere fast under his leadership, even though the players remain fiercely loyal to the former Baylor man in the face of some significant adversity.
As it turned out, Carolina could muster enough to avoid yet another defeat. One that piles enormous pressure on some influential figures across the franchise for good measure.
With this in mind, here are 10 quick thoughts from Carolina’s defeat versus the Niners in Week 5.
Quick Thought No. 1
Carolina Panthers fans voted with their feet
The tipping point has arrived for Carolina Panthers fans. Bank of America Stadium was full of empty seats and San Francisco 49ers supporters, who greatly outnumbered their opponents and made it feel like a road game for Matt Rhule’s men.
According to some that attended, it was the worst atmosphere they’ve seen in Charlotte for some time. Another strong indicator of the current state of affairs and the unhappiness surrounding David Tepper’s ownership.
Carolina Panthers 3rd down woes continued
It was another rough afternoon for the Carolina Panthers on third down. They were last in the league heading into Week 5 and the San Francisco 49ers defense was in no mood to assist a turnaround in fortunes.
Ben McAdoo’s offense went 3-from-15 on third downs throughout the game and they were 1-from-6 at one stage. An unacceptable statistic that shows no signs of getting better anytime soon.
Carolina Panthers had no answer for Jeff Wilson Jr.
It was a sorry sight to see Jeff Wilson Jr. having his way with the Panthers almost from start to finish. The running back was in ruthless form deputizing for the injured Elijah Mitchell, taking advantage of some big holes to break off some significant yardage consistently.
Wilson made some exceptional plays en route to 120 rushing yards and a touchdown. And credit must go to Niners coach Kyle Shanahan for trusting the backup in some critical moments.
Crucial turnover cost the Carolina Panthers
Just when it looked like the Panthers might be generating momentum thanks to defensive efficiency and a blocked field goal, another cataclysmic turnover ended up costing them in the biggest way imaginable.
Baker Mayfield’s errant throw sailed over Christian McCaffrey’s head and into the grasp of Emmanuel Moseley, who proceeded to take the interception in for a pick-six to give San Francisco a 17-3 lead at the break. Considering the Panthers could have tied or cut their deficit to four, this was nothing short of disastrous.
Carolina Panthers missed starting safeties
Jeremy Chinn going on the reserve/injured list was a blow this week. So for the Carolina Panthers to have Xavier Woods unavailable meant they were without their impressive starting safety tandem.
This did not go unnoticed by the San Francisco 49ers, who targeted Justin Burris and Myles Hartsfield heavily throughout with great success. Hopefully, Woods can get back next weekend for their daunting trip to the Los Angeles Rams.
Carolina Panthers must get Raheem Blackshear involved
With Laviska Shenault Jr. sitting out the contest thanks to a hamstring problem, it was a chance for the Panthers to finally get Raheem Blackshear involved. Judging by his impressive burst on kick return duties, it might be worth Ben McAdoo installing some plays for the do-it-all running back moving forward.
Carolina saw enough in Blackshear to snap him up off the Buffalo Bills practice squad. So they might as well use him while they have the chance considering how lackluster the offense has been overall.
Damien Wilson’s best game for the Carolina Panthers
It was hard to pick out the bright spots from yet another demoralizing defeat. But the performance of middle linebacker Damien Wilson was encouraging.
Wilson’s endured an indifferent start to life in Carolina before Week 5. However, this was more like it and hopefully, it’s something he can build on moving forward.
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.