4 critical observations from the Panthers loss at LA Rams in Week 6
By Luke Gray
Carolina Panthers have been bitten by the injury bug
When it rains, it pours. The Carolina Panthers were already missing three starters heading into Week 6 and that list got longer at the Los Angeles Rams.
Donte Jackson, C.J. Henderson, Derrick Brown, and Cory Littleton all went out with various injuries throughout this game. Carolina also lost P.J. Walker to a neck injury, meaning practice squad quarterback Jacob Eason finished the game as the starter.
The injuries within Carolina’s secondary seem the most crushing. Jackson was questionable with an ankle injury heading into the encounter which seemed to aggravate the problem, with Henderson entering the concussion protocol without returning.
This left the Panthers with just Keith Taylor Jr., Myles Hartsfield, and practice squad elevation Tae Hayes. Defensive coordinator Al Holcomb will hope these injuries are not too serious heading into a divisional matchup against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Not only this, but Carolina’s quarterback situation is even more precarious with four players now injured. Matt Corral and Sam Darnold are both still on injured/reserve, Baker Mayfield has a torn ligament in his ankle, and P.J. Walker suffered a neck complication, painting an extremely bleak picture moving forward.
Perhaps Darnold, Mayfield, or Walker will be good to go in Week 7. But considering how the offense has performed to date, just what benefits come is another matter.