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

The lack of touches for D.J. Moore

Why can we not get D.J. Moore more catches? – Ben Ferguson

Thanks for your question, Ben.

D.J. Moore‘s lack of touches has been quite concerning. This all leads back to the current quarterback situation and the underwhelming play-calling from Ben McAdoo.

We all know what Moore is and can be as a player. He’s a terrific runner after the catch who can break tackles in the open field, use his vision to find lanes, and possesses the second-level burst to score every time he touches the football.

On top of that, Moore has excellent ball skills and good route-running ability that makes him one of the most underrated wide receivers in the NFL.

If he’s this good, why hasn’t he produced this season? Is it because of the change at quarterback almost every week? Is it the offensive scheme that doesn’t allow for him to be the featured player on offense? Is it because he faces double teams more consistently than usual?

In my opinion, it’s all of it.

The mixture of these three issues can hamper a star receiver’s ability to produce at the level expected. This is not to say Moore is a bad player and he is far from it.

The Carolina Panthers must figure out a way to get the ball into his hands more often. Maybe it’s with more manufactured touches with plays that scheme him open, allowing him to create yards after the catch. Maybe it’s with more vertical shots, showing a willingness to be aggressive downfield.

With Christian McCaffrey gone, Moore is the face of the franchise on offense. A player this good must be featured in your game plan.

At the end of the day, it comes down to the quarterback to make the right decisions and to get the ball into his hands. With Sam Darnold, will it happen? We’ll have to wait and find out this weekend.