4 Carolina Panthers on the hot seat entering Week 15 vs. Falcons
By Dean Jones
Thomas Brown - Carolina Panthers OC
Sunday's game at the New Orleans Saints was there for the taking. Once again, the Carolina Panthers shot themselves in the foot thanks to yet more woeful offensive play-calling in critical moments.
Despite rushing for more than 200 yards, the Panthers scored six points. That is simply unacceptable and brings Thomas Brown's play-calling under the spotlight again.
Brown is a progressive young mind and a good coach. This isn't the easiest situation for the offensive coordinator. But he must also be held accountable for some incredibly bad gambles that failed to reap any significant rewards.
The former running back's play calls in short-yardage situations leave a lot to be desired. His red-zone efficiency is also indifferent at best. This is a dangerous combination and a big reason why the Panthers are struggling to generate any sort of positive momentum.
Based on Brown's wife's deleted social media post, his fate beyond the campaign is already sealed. He'll try to make the best of a torrid situation to avoid any irreparable damage to his head coaching prospects down the line. But the writing is on the wall with another new head coach coming into the fold.
A bounce-back game from Brown is of critical importance in Week 15 against the Atlanta Falcons. Who knows, perhaps another week of installing his philosophy will do the trick.