5 things the Carolina Panthers must learn from Week 1 drubbing at Falcons
By Ricky Raines
What things must the Carolina Panthers and its long-suffering fanbase learn from their Week 1 drubbing at the Atlanta Falcons?
Throughout the preseason, there was a concentrated effort to keep the offensive and defensive philosophies a secret from the early opponents on the Carolina Panthers' schedule. The concept, seemingly, was to further aid this young football team through the element of surprise.
The big reveal on Sunday didn’t go as well as the team or the fans hoped. The Panthers departed Atlanta with their first loss of the 2023 NFL season, falling to the division rival Falcons, 10-24.
When looking over the final box score of the contest, one may be mildly taken aback by the lack of substantial disproportion in statistics that would typically accompany a two-score loss. In fact, the Panthers finished on top in many major categories.
The turnover differential is the painfully obvious culprit in the outcome. Carolina gave the ball away three times – two interceptions and one lost fumble - while also failing to generate a takeaway of their own. Losing the turnover battle so convincingly is a tough obstacle to overcome.
While there may not have been a plethora of exciting moments to write home about, we did finally learn more about this football team and what they are potentially approaching the season with and without. Let’s dig into a handful of things we and the Panthers must learn from the Week 1 action.