The Carolina Panthers' dismal defeat to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers can only be described as a total team failure.
When a team allows over 250 rushing yards and 22 points off turnovers, something has gone wrong. The Buccaneers embarrassed the Panthers on a day they were honoring former linebacker Luke Kuechly's Pro Football Hall of Fame induction, leading to questions about the entire organization, from the players to the front office.
Why do these issues continue to persist with Carolina, and is there a resolution in sight?
Here are three reasons the Panthers remain inconsistent ahead of Thursday Night Football against the Green Bay Packers.
Reasons the Carolina Panthers still can't turn progress into real consistency
Injuries have decimated the Carolina Panthers
Injuries before the campaign, during the preseason, and during the regular season have hampered the Panthers' defense at multiple points. The offense has faced the same ordeal — an injury bug that has been in effect since January's playoff game.
The Panthers are missing players such as edge rusher Jaelan Phillips, cornerbacks Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson Sr., right tackle Taylor Moton, left guard Damien Lewis, and left tackle Ikem Ekwonu due to long- or short-term injuries.
These standout players could drastically improve the team's consistency.
The loss of edge rusher Nic Scourton on the first day of training camp is also hard to overstate. His season-ending torn ACL has brought a significant absence up front.
Defensively, missing Phillips and the league's top cornerback duo allowed the Buccaneers to attack the edges with a mix of zone and gap-blocking concepts, letting running backs get to the perimeter and find cutback lanes on counter plays.
Having cornerbacks who can tackle and an outside linebacker who can set the edge consistently is important.
For the offense, having two quality tackles blocking the edges improves the pass protection up front immensely, as does a healthy Lewis in the interior.
Carolina Panthers' lack of depth
This ties into the injuries, as the lack of depth at key positions has hurt the Panthers on both sides of the ball this season.
Having role players such as Patrick Jones II, Princely Umanmielen, and Trevis Gipson Sr. play bigger roles didn't bode well in the time Phillips missed against the Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles, and it certainly showed against the Buccaneers.
While rookie cornerback Will Lee III has improved drastically in coverage, he remains timid against the run. Akayleb Evans, who is out this week with a triceps injury, might be the worst starting cornerback I've seen in some time. The Buccaneers attacked the edges at will, and the corners couldn't tackle in space.
The depth will improve as players get healthier and return from reserve lists. It would also help if general manager Dan Morgan broke from his past trade mold and got more aggressive around the deadline to strengthen the depth, while still navigating cap restraints.
Coaching is holding the Carolina Panthers back
It's fair to question head coach Dave Canales' approach, offensive coordinator Brad Idzik's preparation against a divisional opponent, and the continued big rushing days by opponents against defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero.
The team has played with too many steep peaks and horrific valleys, creating a rollercoaster of emotions for fans each week and leaving them unsure what kind of product they'll see.
Injuries and depth concerns play a big role defensively, but position coaching has been questioned as well, with a lack of penetration up front despite the injuries, especially from defensive line coach Todd Wash and outside linebacker coach A.C. Carter.
The approach for Canales and Carolina must shift from being the hunters and underdogs, where they have thrived in the past, to being the hunted and proving they are legitimate in that role. This will be a deciding factor for how the Panthers succeed in the next month.
Idzik must find more balance throughout games, position star quarterback Bryce Young for success, and figure out how to navigate an offensive line that has clearly regressed, especially at right guard with Robert Hunt.
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