Another week, another defensive calamity from the Carolina Panthers.
They might be under-strength. They might be lacking genuine quality. But that shouldn't get defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero off the hook. Not when there is such a large sample size of constant underachievement.
Evero is a good coach. He's a respected figure around the league and almost got a head coaching gig last season before the Seattle Seahawks and Atlanta Falcons went in different directions.
There's speculation about whether more interest could arrive when the 2025 hiring cycle commences. Carolina's woeful defensive efforts throughout the campaign won't have helped in that regard.
The Panthers don't have the personnel to successfully deploy Evero's creative 3-4 base schematic concepts. There have been flashes, but it's nowhere near good enough. This awkward reality firmly settled in for Carolina after another embarrassing display at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 17.
Carolina Panthers defense was an abomination in Week 17
Tampa Bay set the tone immediately. Quarterback Baker Mayfield led his team downfield quickly and wide receiver Mike Evans was on hand to secure a touchdown grab. Panthers fans feared this would be a long afternoon. Things didn't get much better after that.
Carolina's league-worst run defense was tormented by rookie running back Bucky Irving throughout the one-sided affair. Mayfield got whatever he wanted in the passing game en route to five touchdowns against his old employers. It was an unmitigated disaster from start to finish as the Panthers wilted versus their division rivals.
Patience is wearing thin with Evero. That's the long and short of it.
One can point to the personnel at his disposal, but his unwillingness to adjust the scheme to compensate for these obvious flaws is damning. They are being constantly exposed for all the wrong reasons. Some fans are wondering whether a fresh set of ideas would benefit the franchise long-term.
This is a discussion for those in power when the offseason arrives. Head coach Dave Canales has reportedly developed a close relationship with Evero and will fight hard to keep him around. His assistant coaches might not be so lucky, so it'll be interesting to see how things play out.
Maybe, in an ideal world, another team will take the difficult decision out of Carolina's hands. This involves making Evero a head coach at the third time of asking — a promotion that would also net the Panthers a third-round compensatory pick for good measure.
It was never going to be easy without Pro Bowl defensive lineman Derrick Brown and inspirational linebacker Shaq Thompson. They went to injured reserve over the first two games and the defense hasn't been the same since.
Trading Brian Burns was a calculated risk that removed the team's most explosive edge rusher. Frankie Luvu's decision to turn down an extension and sign for the Washington Commanders worked out for the player, but it ripped out the beating heart of Evero's defense in one fell swoop.
Evero did more with less last season. That's not been the cast this time around, so it remains to be seen whether he'll get another shot to prove that the scheme is fine — it's the players that are the problem.