Who were the big winners and losers from the Carolina Panthers' demoralizing defeat against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 4?
It was another poor afternoon at the office as the Carolina Panthers fell to their fourth straight loss to begin the 2023 campaign. The Minnesota Vikings were also winless coming into the clash, but a collapse after the break coupled with the same offensive hesitancy played a leading role in the team's eventual demise.
This has been the tale of the tape so far. Things aren't likely to get better over the next two games before Carolina's bye thanks to road games at the Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins, which means the Panthers are looking at being 0-6 before embarking on their prolonged rest period.
That is not the dream sold by general manager Scott Fitterer before the campaign began. Carolina looks more likely to rebuild and sell assets than legitimately contend, which is a sad state of affairs for a fanbase that's had little to shout about since the mid-2010s.
It's an uncertain time. But before looking ahead, here are five winners and losers from Carolina's latest debacle at Bank of America Stadium.
Loser No. 1
Bryce Young - Carolina Panthers QB
This wasn't the return Bryce Young was hoping for. Although the signal-caller was largely accurate, the scheme continues to hinder his playmaking ability and the clock management issues are another real area of concern where the No. 1 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft is concerned.
Couple this with a costly fumble that resulted in the Minnesota Vikings going in for six points, it's not hard to see why questions are being asked. Writing Young off after just three starts is asinine, but it's clear something isn't clicking and must be addressed as a matter of urgency.
Young is gifted enough to make the best out of a bad situation. But playing to his strengths is absolutely essential from here on out.
Otherwise, nothing will change.
Winner No. 1
D'Shawn Jamison - Carolina Panthers CB
Finding winners was a tough task, in all honesty. Not many on the Carolina Panthers lived up to their potential, which is becoming a common theme for a team that internally harbored hopes of mounting an NFC South title challenge in 2023.
Considering the circumstances and the standard of opposition, D'Shawn Jamison deserves recognition. The inexperienced cornerback was thrown into the fire when Donte Jackson went out of the game with yet another injury complication, which isn't the most ideal situation considering the exceptional pass-catchers at the Minnesota Vikings' disposal.
Jamison could have wilted under intense pressure. Instead, he more than held his own despite the odd blip or two along the way.
Given the fact Jamison was going up against All-Pro Justin Jefferson, K.J. Osborn, and first-rounder Jordan Addison, he was always going to give up catches on occasion. But the former Texas standout competed hard and always made things uncomfortable despite being targeted heavily.
Whether this results in more playing time for Jamison remains to be seen. The Panthers are desperately thin of reliable options within their secondary and if Jackson's latest ailment forces him to miss time, then Carolina should turn to the undrafted free agent with options limited on the free-agent market.
Jamison at least showed effort as evidenced when he ran the entire field to block Kirk Cousins during Sam Franklin's 99-yard pick-six. If only more established players showed the same fight.
Loser No. 2
Miles Sanders - Carolina Panthers RB
One of the biggest riddles the Carolina Panthers have yet to solve centers on their running attack. Much like everything else on offense, the plays are predictable and make things difficult to generate any sort of momentum, leaving quarterback Bryce Young in a hole he rarely got out of.
That said, the Panthers aren't getting nearly enough from Miles Sanders. This spring's marquee free-agent arrival once again looked sluggish and devoid of explosiveness, rushing for a measly 19 yards from 13 carries - which equates to just 1.5 yards every time the former second-round selection touched the football.
This is unacceptable whichever way one looks at it. Sanders is dealing with a groin issue, but if it's impacting his performance to such an extent one has to ask just why the Panthers are persisting with the Penn State product as their No. 1 option.
Chuba Hubbard looked a lot sharper when called upon, which is another damning indictment on Sanders. The Pro Bowler looks like a shell of the player who gained more than 1,200 rushing yards on the Philadelphia Eagles in 2022, so a huge effort is needed to turn around his current fortunes.
Whether the Panthers sit Sanders and allow his problematic groin to heal in Week 5 remains to be seen. If he does take the field, those in power must do a better job of maximizing his strengths, which isn't pounding in between the tackles.
Ejiro Evero - Carolina Panthers DC
Even though the Minnesota Vikings were 0-3 heading into their clash against the Carolina Panthers, their offense was still putting up whopping numbers. Something that posed a potential complication considering how many injuries are occurring on that side of the football.
It wasn't perfect, not by any stretch of the imagination. However, the game plan devised by defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero was solid enough to give Carolina an opportunity to emerge with a crucial first win of the campaign.
Sadly, the offense couldn't meet their end of the bargain. But fans should take heart from Evero's ability to scheme things up effectively regardless of the opposition.
If someone would have said Kirk Cousins would throw two interceptions and gain just 139 yards through the air, you'd feel pretty confident that the Panthers would be coming away victorious. That wasn't the case, but Evero can relax safe in the knowledge he continues to do the best he can with the limited options available.
Giving up 135 rushing yards wasn't ideal. But the defense was tiring late after no offensive assistance, which was always going to result in one area failing to maintain standards.
Carolina has a special coach in Evero, but they are wasting what could be his one and only season with the franchise. Many insiders expect the progressive mind to get a head coaching gig during the 2024 cycle, although that might be jeopardized if the Panthers keep losing.
Frank Reich - Carolina Panthers HC
After just four games of his Carolina Panthers head coaching tenure, the pressure is growing on Frank Reich. This is a far cry from the optimism that surrounded the new regime before competitive action commenced, but it's entirely understandable considering how things have unfolded to date.
Reich is getting from every angle imaginable. This is thanks in no small part to his suspect play-calling, which is uninventive and uninspired in equal measure.
The difference between Carolina's offensive strategy with Andy Dalton and Bryce Young is notable. Maybe there's a lack of confidence in their prized rookie to get the football downfield, which is something that has to change if the Panthers want to turn their sinking ship around.
What made matters worse was Reich's statement after the game. The figurehead revealed that he called a play for Adam Thielen when he was in the blue medical tent, which drew ridicule on social media and is something he should have kept to himself.
The more concerning aspect centers on Reich calling plays for one specific individual. That doesn't play to Young's strengths of processing and going through reads rapidly, so it's not hard to see why things aren't clicking.
With road games at the Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins upcoming before Carolina's bye week, things are going to get worse before they get better. Something that could cause the temperature of Reich's seat to increase along the way.