4 huge disappointments from Carolina Panthers loss at the Dolphins in Week 6

What huge disappointments emerged from yet another beatdown for the Carolina Panthers at the Miami Dolphins in Week 6?

After the Carolina Panthers flew out of the gate and got themselves a two-touchdown lead at the Miami Dolphins, there was a glimmer of hope that Frank Reich's men could pull off the NFL's biggest upset of 2023. However, 35 unanswered points later, it was the result most predicted beforehand.

There's so much wrong with the Panthers right now. It's hard to know where to begin, in all honesty, which means there are a lot of harsh assessments needed during the bye in the hope they can somehow come out of some winnable games with some semblance of respectability in the coming weeks.

Another losing season beckons, that's almost a guarantee at this juncture. But if quarterback Bryce Young keeps progressing and certain schematic adjustments are made, improvements should follow no matter how bleak things look currently.

Until then, here are four huge disappointments from Sunday's heavy loss in the Florida sunshine.

Carolina Panthers pass-rush

Gaining sacks on Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is difficult. He gets the football out quickly and on time, leaving little wiggle room to overcome blockers in pursuit of takedowns.

However, the Carolina Panthers' pass rush has to do better. They were virtually anonymous despite the Dolphins missing two starting offensive linemen - one of which was stud left tackle Terron Armstead - so one cannot look at this area of the field with anything other than disappointment.

Nobody on the Panthers got a sack. Not Brian Burns. Not Justin Houston, Not Derrick Brown.

Nobody. That was simply unacceptable and made things more difficult for a secondary that was often overwhelmed in the face of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.

Carolina Panthers young WRs

After the Carolina Panthers included D.J. Moore in the trade package that landed the No. 1 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft, it represented a big opportunity for the young wideouts still around to make an impact. The coaching staff seemed highly confident they'd find the right formula to offset such a high-profile departure, but their confidence was misplaced based on what we've seen through six weeks.

There is only one dependable weapon in the wide receiver room. That isn't the young studs tipped by many for breakout campaigns, it's aging veteran Adam Thielen, who's been nothing short of phenomenal with substantial responsibilities on his shoulders.

Bryce Young is looking for Thielen too much, to be honest. But this is also a damning indictment of the lack of confidence he has in others to get the job done.

What else can he do if nobody else is open?

Jonathan Mingo is a rookie, but he's underachieving. Terrace Marshall Jr. got some work this week but didn't bring in any of his three targets - casting further doubt on his future with the franchise.

One could give Mingo a pass considering his lack of experience. The same cannot be said of Marshall, who's been in the league for three seasons and has shown no signs of improvement from a consistency standpoint.

Trading for another weapon at 0-6 seems unlikely unless a huge opportunity presents itself. The Panthers will play with the poor hand they've been dealt by their front office, but surrounding Young with elite-caliber weapons should be among the team's biggest priorities next spring.

Carolina Panthers run defense

One of many glaring complications holding the Carolina Panthers back currently is their lack of run-stopping ability. Ejiro Evero's vaunted 3-4 base defensive scheme doesn't have the personnel to meet demands effectively and despite missing stud rookie De'Von Achane, the Miami Dolphins had their way on the ground in Week 6.

The Panthers had no answer for Raheem Mostert, who ran riot to the tune of 115 rushing yards from 17 carries and three total touchdowns. Miami notched 162 rushing yards in total, which played a significant role in Carolina's demise once again.

This all starts upfront. The Panthers have no genuine nose tackle after failing to replace Marquan McCall, who was the mammoth presence expected to fill the gaping void before his surprise release this offseason.

All this represents is another fine example of suspect recruitment from the front office. Releasing McCall is fair enough if they didn't think he was good enough, but not bringing in an upgrade is borderline malpractice when one considers how important a defensive front anchor is to Evero's game plan.

Carolina is giving up 144.3 yards per game on the ground through six weeks. They've shipped 152.0 yards on average over the last three, which indicates there is a serious problem that needs rectifying as a matter of urgency during the bye.

Carolina Panthers offensive invention was too brief

As previously stated, the Carolina Panthers began this game superbly. They raced into a 14-point lead behind an offense that finally looked to have some invention and played to quarterback Bryce Young's strengths.

Sadly, it didn't last.

Once the scripted plays likely reached their conclusion, head coach Frank Reich went back to his bland concepts that haven't been nearly as successful. Gone was the high tempo, the misdirection, the pre-snap motion - replaced by mundane routes as another game got away from the Panthers.

This was the most frustrating thing of all. Reich could see what was working - it was literally right in front of him - so to take his foot off the gas and go to what he felt most comfortable with was extremely poor in-game management.

There is one positive to emerge from another indifferent afternoon at the office. According to the NFL Network, Reich has handed over play-calling responsibilities to offensive coordinator Thomas Brown - a progressive thinker coming from the Sean McVay coaching tree with a big reputation.

Brown's innovative ethos is going to benefit Young tremendously. The game has passed Reich by looking at the current trend around the league, so this was the natural progression that can hopefully reap some significant rewards as the campaign progresses.

Out with the old, in with the new. And as the Panthers sit at 0-6, that might not be the only change coming before they take the field in Week 8 against the Houston Texans.