Picking up some much-needed positivity before the bye week was essential for the Carolina Panthers. Things looked bleaker than ever after a 1-7 start with more questions about the long-term future of this perennial bottom-feeder. Two wins in quick succession left things trending up heading into their extended rest period.
Dave Canales wants the Panthers to rest, reflect, and find ways to improve over the next fortnight. If the New Orleans Saints and New York Giants represented winnable games, things are about the get a lot tougher.
Carolina faces the Kansas City Chiefs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Philadelphia Eagles straight after the bye. Unless significant adjustments are made and key personnel continue to return from injury, it's hard to envisage a scenario where the Panthers keep up their mini-resurgence.
Canales will take some deserved time away. He'll already have some strategic differences in mind when everyone gets back into the building. Implementing them effectively is crucial.
It'll be fascinating to see how the Panthers fare from here on. If Canales and his staff want to stand any chance of making a go of things, they must address these three fatal flaws that played a leading role in their initial demise.
All stats are courtesy of Team Rankings.
Fatal flaws Carolina Panthers must address at the bye week
Carolina Panthers' third-down defense
The Carolina Panthers have made notable defensive strides over the last two games. They are getting established starters back and benefit from the offense controlling the clock more effectively with quarterback Bryce Young under center. However, it is far from perfect.
One of the biggest complications centers on Carolina's third-down defense. This remains a great source of frustration among the fanbase, which either stems from 3rd-and-short situations or playing off coverage too much on 3rd-and-longs.
The Panthers are conceding a league-worst 48.12 percent of third downs to the opposition. Considering how the Detroit Lions - who look primed for another deep Super Bowl run this season - lead the NFL at 31.37%, it's not hard to see why this is proving so complicated.
Evero plays Cover 3 more than any coordinator in the league. The Panthers don't have enough consistent pass-rush to implement this with enough conviction. Hopefully, the return of edge rusher D.J. Wonnum - a man who made a lasting impression on his debut against the New York Giants in Week 10 - can change all that.