4 potential problems facing the Panthers over final four games in 2022

What if the Carolina Panthers cannot run the ball?

The Carolina Panthers have made no secret of their intentions on offense since Steve Wilks replaced Matt Rhule. Even though opposing teams know they’re going to run the football heavily, stopping it behind a supremely gifted offensive line is a completely different story.

D’Onta Foreman is the workhorse putting up outstanding numbers. The former Texas star is being complimented well by Chuba Hubbard and Raheem Blackshear, whose efforts also deserve praise during Carolina’s mini-renaissance.

However, one only has to look at what happened at the Cincinnati Bengals to see what problems can emerge if the Panthers don’t get an opportunity to establish the run. So it’s vital their ever-improving defense lives up to their end of the bargain over the coming weeks.

Even though Carolina is running the football superbly, there will come a time when more is needed from Sam Darnold. The quarterback’s efficiency and line-of-scrimmage command have been encouraging over his first two games as a starter in 2022, which has resulted in zero turnovers during that span.

There is more belief in Darnold right now than at any stage in 2021. But his career trajectory before coming back into the lineup isn’t the best indicator that anything positive can arrive if the game gets put in his hands.