4 critical observations from Carolina Panthers’ putrid defeat vs. Colts in Week 9

What were some critical observations from another torrid loss for the Carolina Panthers in Week 9 against the Indianapolis Colts?

After the high of the Carolina Panthers' first win of the season a week ago against the Houston Texans, they came crashing down to earth. The home team was embarrassed by a depleted Indianapolis Colts in what was arguably Frank Reich's most damning loss in his short head coaching tenure.

Against his former team, one would think Reich would have had his team motivated and raring to go. What we saw instead was the worst offensive display of the season against a team that over the last three had given up an average of 38 points a game.

At halftime, the Panthers had just three points and less than 70 yards of offense. And it didn't get much better after that.

A solitary touchdown to D.J. Chark did little to improve the mood as Carolina racked up just 13 points and 275 yards of total offense. Clips of Colts owner Jim Irsay dancing in the visiting locker room post-game showed just what a laughing-stock this franchise has become.

The Panthers now sit at 1-7 in the sole position of the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Unfortunately, that will go to the Chicago Bears - not that many fans would trust this team to draft correctly in any case.

Carolina lost two more defensive starters with C.J. Henderson and Brian Burns both going into concussion protocol ahead of a Thursday Night trip to Chicago. So things might get worse before they get better in Charlotte.

For now, let’s break down some critical observations from the Panthers' loss in Week 9.

Carolina Panthers QB Bryce Young had his worst NFL showing

The ups and downs of a rookie quarterback in the NFL.

Just a week removed from the best performance of his short career, we saw the worst of Bryce Young on Sunday. He single-handedly gave the Indianapolis Colts the victory in uptown Charlotte.

Young finished the day 24-of-39 for 173 passing yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions with a 48.3 passer rating. Two of his picks were taken to the house by Kenny Moore, resulting in 14 points for the Colts' defense - the margin between the two sides when push came to shove.

The fact Young had a day like like this just hours after C.J. Stroud threw for a record-breaking 470 yards and five touchdowns did little to quell a rising sense of unease amongst Carolina Panthers fans. I would implore fans to exercise patience - Sunday was bad no doubt, but in previous weeks the growth shown by the No. 1 overall selection was clear.

There’s no shying away from the poor performance of Young. This was one of the league's worst secondary that had shipped an average of 38 points over the last three. The Panthers managed a measly 13 points and did little to inspire confidence moving forward.

Young took responsibility post-game. But with just four days until the Panthers take on the Chicago Bears, there’s little been shown to think they will adjust accordingly in the face of another bad defense.

Pressure on Carolina Panthers GM Scott Fitterer

I feel I've been lenient when it comes to Carolina Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer. But many fans are reaching the end of their tether. He was given a grace period following the firing of Matt Rhule as it seemed the former head coach held all the power, but since then, the front office figure has done little to inspire confidence.

A look at the Panthers’ roster and the lack of depth is astounding. Although injuries have been a factor, the Panthers still lack NFL-quality backup options.

Sunday saw the likes of Eku Leota and Dicaprio Bootle seeing extended runs. These are a pair of rookie undrafted free agents who are likely practice squad players at best.

Not only do the Panthers lack depth, Fitterer has failed to impress with any of his free agency or draft moves. The likes of Hayden Hurst, Miles Sanders, Shy Tuttle, and D.J. Chark have failed to make an impact. Outside of Adam Thielen, this free agency group has been disastrous.

When it comes to the draft, things have been no better. Jaycee Horn - while talented - is injury-prone, and with Patrick Surtain II and Micah Parsons both balling out with their respective franchises, questions remain over the pick.

Ikem Ekwonu has regressed alarmingly and is fast becoming a human turnstile. Another big-time concern.

Outside the first round, things have arguably been worse. The Panthers have selected 19 players outside the top 32 since 2021 when Fitterer came into the fold - only 11 remain on the roster.

One could argue we’ve only seen an impact from Chuba Hubbard, Tommy Tremble and Brady Christensen, so just three of Fitterer’s 19 picks outside the round have found success on the roster. If things don't improve, David Tepper might be forced into drastic action.

Carolina Panthers OL regression is alarming

The offensive line has gone from the Carolina Panthers' best-performing unit in 2022 to arguably the worst halfway through the 2023 campaign. This unit has regressed alarmingly - it’s no wonder we’re seeing mistakes from Bryce Young as he is constantly under duress with no protection from the five in front of him.

The Panthers find themselves in a predicament where it would be no surprise if aside from Austin Corbett, they have four new starters on the offensive line compared to the five that lined up against the Indianapolis Colts.

Ikem Ekwonu is a liability on the blindside and is playing his way into a potential camp battle with the returning Brady Christesen next offseason. Calvin Throckmorton has performed admirably as a plug-and-play guard, but he is not a long-term option at the position.

Another player whose regression has been stark is Bradley Bozeman - a fan favorite in 2022. The big mauler in the middle is not suited to the scheme run by Frank Reich and is struggling as a result.

We saw his prowess under Steve Wilks when the Panthers were a downhill running team. Corbett is the Panthers' best offensive player, and Taylor Moton is a fine right tackle but not good enough for his $30 million cap hits in 2024 and 2025.

If things don't start trending upward - and quickly - don’t be surprised to see offensive line coach James Campen, a holdover from the Matt Rhule regime, made surplus to requirements.

Carolina Panthers' defense held its own

We’ll end on a positive.

This was expected to be an offensive shootout with the Indianapolis Colts' offense putting up points at will even with backup Gardener Minshew at the helm. Instead, Ejiro Evero’s unit held them to just 13 points and 198 yards of total offense.

For the first time this season, the Carolina Panthers also held a team to under 100 yards rushing.

Even from the 13 points allowed, that should have only been nine as safety Xavier Woods was the recipient of an egregious flag by referee Bill Vinovich and his crew for unnecessary roughness. This came after a perfect hit on Michael Pittman Jr. - a call that even the wide receiver himself questioned.

This is a script Panthers fans are used to seeing by now. The defense does its utmost to keep the team in the game, only to be let down by a terrible offensive play - something that was prevalent under Matt Rhule and not much seems to have changed under the leadership of Frank Reich.

The Panthers' defense has another chance to impress on Thursday. They’ll potentially be facing rookie quarterback Tyson Bagent - starting just his fourth NFL game coming off a four-turnover performance against the New Orleans Saints.

If the Panthers have any chance of winning, they’ll need to likely force multiple turnovers and score some defensive touchdowns.