Carolina Panthers offense must run the ball early and often
A big part of the Carolina Panthers' offensive struggles last week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was an inability to run the football. Head coach and offensive play caller Dave Canales steered away from the run game with 13 total carries. The offense lacked balance and it showed.
The effectiveness of Carolina's run game will see some drop off due to star running back Chuba Hubbard being shelved on injured reserve. Second-round rookie Jonathon Brooks is a long-term absentee with another torn ACL. Miles Sanders also missed the clash, but he could feature this weekend after returning to practice.
Carolina's offensive line is built to run the football. They are an imposing unit when firing on all cylinders. That will be needed to set the tone and provide the running lanes needed for the Panthers' backfield weapons to keep the Atlanta Falcons' defense honest throughout.
The Panthers running back room is severely banged up, but it’s a next-man-up mentality. It's also worth noting that the system is good enough for the backups to have some success.
It would be nice to see Canales scheme up some other ways of getting the ball to playmakers on the ground. Giving the likes of rookie wide receiver Xavier Legette, Deven Thompkins, or the versatile Velus Jones Jr. more looks wouldn't be the worst idea in the world. After all, it's not like the Panthers have anything to lose by experimenting slightly in their regular-season finale.
If the Panthers' offense can get the run game going, their chances of being victorious will increase tremendously. That won't be easy against the Falcons, but it should be high on Canales' list of priorities nonetheless.
And who knows, perhaps it'll help general manager Dan Morgan with his evaluations before embarking on a pivotal 2025 offseason for the franchise.