The Carolina Panthers lost to the Cleveland Browns after a horrific offensive line performance kept the game within reach.
However, it wasn’t just the offensive line; mistakes on defense in critical moments led to the go-ahead touchdown. Injuries also piled up for Carolina, some of which are long-term ailments.
That said, there wasn’t much bad on the Panthers' film outside of the protection in front of quarterback Bryce Young.
I spent the last couple of days watching the tape from Carolina’s loss. Here are some notes from my rewatch.
- Carolina Panthers' offensive line performance to forget
- Rookie cornerback Will Lee III is making gains
- What to make of Bryce Young’s Week 3 performance
- Carolina Panthers defense shines, but flaws remain
Carolina Panthers' offensive line performance to forget
I don’t remember Carolina's offensive line performing as badly as it did in Cleveland. The Browns had a terrific game plan to be aggressive and overwhelm a front that had shown signs of leakage in prior weeks.
Rasheed Walker was awful against speed-to-power, struggling to refit his hands and re-anchor properly at the point of attack against Browns pass rusher Jared Verse.
Center Luke Fortner was not good either, snapping the ball low, getting calls late at the line of scrimmage, struggling to pass off against line games, and being a mismatch against interior power and quickness.
Right guard Robert Hunt looked top-heavy, with heavy feet and a lack of punch at the point of attack. His regression is worthy of serious concern, while right tackle Monroe Freeling showed he is still a year away from being a viable asset as he continues to learn in the fire.
Losing Damien Lewis with a UCL injury is a major blow, but backup Corey Bullock has created some lanes in the run game, and the hope is that he can do better against a less aggressive Lions defense.
This lackluster display further proves the need for stability and the hopeful returns of veterans Taylor Moton and Ikem Ekwonu. It may not be a successful solution, but it is one the Panthers must try.
Rookie cornerback Will Lee III is making gains
The loss of Jaycee Horn (long-term) and Mike Jackson (potentially short-term) will be felt in the Panthers' secondary.
What impressed me when Jackson left the game against Cleveland was rookie Will Lee III, who was publicly chastised for his rough game against the Chicago Bears three weeks ago, and fairly so.
Since that game, Lee has taken it upon himself to play with more discipline and learn from his mistakes.
Lee improved in his deep third responsibility when playing the boundary. He was aggressive but disciplined when asked to play man against Denzel Boston and KC Concepcion, his former teammate at Texas A&M, and I liked how he maintained his stickiness at the hip pocket.
The fourth-round pick almost secured a pick-six against Deshaun Watson, but dropped the ball. His closing speed is impressive, and he maintains good foot speed and short-area quickness in tight spaces.
Overall, the Panthers may struggle in coverage without Horn and possibly Jackson, but if Lee continues this upward trajectory, their worries may weaken.
What to make of Bryce Young’s Week 3 performance
A narrative is emerging that Bryce Young played badly, and yes, the analytics don’t look incredible (54.2% completion rate, -9.2 expected points added (EPA), and -0.18 EPA per dropback). Still, the film showed something else.
Command.
Despite consistent pressure, Young led a couple of scoring drives through his playmaking in and out of the pocket, showing superior poise and confidence that let him trust his wideouts, including former Alabama teammate John Metchie III and Brycen Tremayne.
I loved how he looked for his tight ends, including receiving threat Darren Waller, when targeting the middle of the field. But this wasn’t a perfect game for Young, who missed some open receivers on a couple of plays and rushed his progressions under constant pressure.
Carolina Panthers defense shines, but flaws remain
Despite what you might read on social media, the Panthers' defense wasn’t bad. They only allowed 259 total yards of offense, which in most cases is a good day on that side of the ball.
Even without linebacker Devin Lloyd, players made stops in space, played physically, and stayed disciplined in their run-fit assignments.
I was particularly impressed with linebackers Bobby Okereke and Tyrel Dodson, who performed admirably at the second level with those run fits, working with the flow of the ball carrier and the wherewithal for their surroundings in shell drops.
Defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero has signaled a more aggressive approach since Week 1, and the pass rush is showing it.
In Week 3 against the Browns, Carolina tallied 15 pressures (10th), two sacks, a 38.5 percent team pressure rate (T-10), and allowed only 89 yards after the catch, the eighth-lowest of all teams.
This was one of the best days I’ve seen from Carolina’s pass rush since they played the New York Jets in Week 7 last season.
Jaelan Phillips tallied five pressures with inside move and speed-to-power flashes, and Princely Umanmielen had four pressures and a sack, showcasing speed and explosiveness off the edge.
The rough part of the Panthers' issues on defense was missed tackles, especially in the pocket, where Watson was often in the pocket but broke away.
The Panthers also struggled with tackling in space, especially from Lathan Ransom, who otherwise had a strong game, and Tre’von Moehrig, who whiffed on a sack and missed a couple of other tackles.
Discipline is the biggest issue with this defense. At times, the margin for error felt too small when the offense couldn’t pick up the tab, leading to some of Cleveland's scores, including the game-winner.
On that particular play, Okereke abandoned his shell responsibility to go after Watson, allowing Harold Fannin Jr. to go by behind him open. This came just a couple of plays after the linebacker had caused the roughing the passer penalty on Cleveland's signal-caller.
This must be cleaned up next week against the Detroit Lions and during the bye week.
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