3 keys to victory for the Carolina Panthers vs. Texans in Week 8

Carolina Panthers must lean into creativity

The Carolina Panthers finally have a new play-caller on offense and not a moment too soon as things were beginning to look ugly out there.

Now that is not to say that handing over this responsibility to offensive coordinator Thomas Brown will be some kind of magic pill to fix all that ails the Panthers. However, it can't be much worse, right?

This team is screaming for creativity - something to give a spark to an offense that seems lethargic and outdated until the game is already out of hand. Something that a young coach just might bring.

A run up the middle followed by two three-step dropbacks is not the epitome of the modern NFL and that was painfully obvious to every Panthers fan in recent weeks. The team has the pieces to do damage in D.J. Chark and Laviska Shenault Jr., yet it seemed incapable of exploiting their natural talents with correct assignments.

Chark only has 13 catches for a measly 197 receiving yards on the year. That is a testament to just how much the speedy receiver has struggled in this system to date. Some of that is on the shoulders of the deep ball target, but there has been a very clear lack of any urgency to push the ball downfield.

It is past time that the Panthers start using the pieces that were brought in to spark a dying offense in ways that will actually help spark the offense.

Something has to change for the Panthers to get their first win of the season. Some creativity is just what the doctor ordered.