4 burning questions Panthers fans are asking ahead of Week 12 vs. Broncos

Steve Wilks and the Carolina Panthers’ offense

When you’re standing on the sideline and you see the offense struggling the way it is, whether it’s play calling or personnel, when do you step in as the head coach and demand different plays to be called or personnel on the field? – Len Redd

Thank you for your question, Len. It seems like we may need to reserve a permanent spot for the Cat Crave mailbag.

Jokes aside, the inconsistency of the Carolina Panthers offense, no matter the opponent, has been baffling this season. It’s an offense that ranks last in three-and-outs across the entire league. For a unit that has D.J. Moore, Terrace Marshall Jr., and D’Onta Foreman, that’s embarrassing.

I too have been wondering for quite some time when Steve Wilks will step in and voice what he wants to see from the offense going forward. But we have to remember that the interim head coach is mainly a defensive-minded guy.

Yet, this shouldn’t keep him from wanting his offense to be better. And it all starts with Ben McAdoo.

It is clear that the Panthers can have an identity offensively. We saw it against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and in both games versus the Atlanta Falcons as well.

This is a team that should be running the football at least 30 or more times per game with Foreman leading the way while Raheem Blackshear and Chuba Hubbard rotate in. This would lead to more opportunities in the passing element for Moore and Marshall.

Carolina’s offense seems quite predictable even to the amateur eye. Even my own mom knew what was about to happen. This is all you need to know about how bad McAdoo is as an offensive coordinator.

I’m not sure how much the offense would change if McAdoo were to be let go at this stage. If I were coach Wilks, I would be wanting to alter a couple of things with personnel groupings and the style of the offense.

Will it happen? I doubt it.

It seems like we’re on the path to a very long season, one that may not see Moore hit 1,000 receiving yards for just the second time in his career. This brings me to the next question.