4 burning questions Carolina Panthers fans are asking ahead of Week 11 vs. Cowboys

Bryce Young
Bryce Young / Daniel Bartel-USA TODAY Sports
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 5
Next

Frank Reich's control of Carolina Panthers offense

How much control does Frank Reich still have over the offense? Meaning, is Thomas Brown calling the plays he was given to use, or does he have the ability to make his own plays, adjustments etc.? - Brandon Dodson

Great question, Brandon. This is relevant considering Frank Reich has chosen to take over as offensive play-caller once again. I'm sure he wants to see more than one touchdown scored in the next three games - the same amount the Carolina Panthers managed in the last three games combined. However, how does this benefit in any regard?

It doesn't. While Thomas Brown is from the Sean McVay coaching tree, the playbook is similar if not identical to what Reich ran in his four-and-a-half seasons with the Indianapolis Colts.

Five years ago, the former Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator was a hot commodity. Since then, offenses have changed, evolved, and have become quite innovative.

Dan Orlovsky made a good point about how the NFL's top offenses include pre-snap and at-the-snap motion, adjustable and diversified personnel and formations, and a decent amount of play-action concepts. This is what Reich lacks, not specifically the offensive coordinator. This is part of why the Panthers have not been successful.

Reich should've allowed Brown to create a brand-new playbook from scratch. This would've allowed him to build one specific to McVay principles. These include the utilization of motions, shifts, etc.

Instead, it seems like Reich's hands are all over this offensive system.

Reich is once again in control of his old, broken-down machine that is the Panthers' offense. This seems like a desperate move and someone whose seat is as hot as the sun.