The Carolina Panthers are freefalling at the worst possible time. It was always going to be challenging against the Denver Broncos, but this was also a game that got away from head coach Dave Canales' squad.
Now, the Panthers are 3-5, with a must-win game against the New Orleans Saints coming up. A road defeat would be disastrous, and this isn't what fans had in mind when Carolina made bold offseason moves to take the next step into legitimate contention.
Injuries are a viable excuse, but everyone gets them. Some cope better than others, and the Panthers don't have the depth to counteract their roster losses.
Even with a few positives, Week 9 was disappointing overall. Now, the Panthers are staring down the barrel of yet another losing season, with far more questions than answers about the franchise's direction.
That's for the future. For now, here are three winners and five losers from Carolina's latest reverse at Bank of America Stadium.
Winners and losers from the Carolina Panthers' defeat to the Denver Broncos
Loser No. 1
Ryan Fitzgerald - Carolina Panthers PK
Kicker Ryan Fitzgerald has been a real asset to the Panthers this season. This was not his finest afternoon at the office, and it became a small but important detail in their eventual demise.
The Florida State product missed his first field goal of the season. It happens, but the lackluster kickoffs were surprising and unwelcome.
Fitzgerald has had enough strong performances since joining the club to suggest this will be a blip rather than the start of a concerning trend. But in a game decided by fine margins, that didn't help the Panthers' chances of pulling off an upset.
Fitzgerald needs a big response against the Saints.
Winner No. 1
Chau Smith-Wade - Carolina Panthers CB
The Panthers fired Ejiro Evero and Jonathan Cooley. They are under-strength at cornerback, which the Broncos looked to exploit early and often.
Corey Thornton and Marco Wilson had some nice moments, but they also got beaten often and struggled with penalties. Chau Smith-Wade also got more time in the lineup, and aside from a few minor blips, it was a highly encouraging performance from the defensive back.
Smith-Wade became an afterthought under Evero. There wasn't much trust between the two, and removing the coordinator seems to have given the Washington State product a new lease of life.
With Jaycee Horn, Mike Jackson Sr., and Will Lee III still on the shelf, this effort should be enough to keep Smith-Wade involved under interim coordinator Todd Wash.
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