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The Panthers offense reminds me of a nursery rhyme. “There was an offense with a little curl right in the middle of their forehead. When they were good, they were very, very good, and when they were bad, they were horrid.”
Let’s blame it on the coaches and play-callers, but wait, didn’t they dial up a fourth-down pass that went for a mile and a touchdown twice? OK, let’s blame it on the quarterback, but wait, wasn’t he the one who threw those two passes and won the most close games since he came into the league? OK, let’s blame it on the linemen. Well, they have had so many injuries. But wait didn’t they play great even though we had so many different players in each position. OK, let’s blame the running backs, but wait a minute, don’t we have a 1,000-yard rusher and another who was injured and came back too soon? Once he was better, he was a big contributor. That leaves the receivers, wait. Don’t we have a rookie who is in conversation for rookie of the year. All of the receivers have made major contributions by blocking and receiving and the entire offense has done what is needed. So what is needed to get this offense consistent? It seems they have the right parts. — Marc, Indian Land, SC
Marc, I bow to your Buddha nature. You have transcended. You have surpassed information and knowledge and attained wisdom. Thus, becoming Friend Of The Mailbag is a small signifier of your status.
The Panthers are not a finished product. There’s a lot of work to do from all involved. And if you’ve been reading this space, you know that I’m going to answer this question with one of my favorite answers — time and people.
At a certain point, they’re going to have to become more consistent, to do things the same way week after week, and not swing wildly from wins to losses, from 300 yards to 150 passing, or what have you.
But that’s a challenge in front of them, and something to work on in the years to come.
Realistically, next year’s offense should look familiar, personnel-wise. Four of the five starting offensive linemen are under contract. So are the quarterback, the tight ends room, and most of the wide receivers. Having that kind of continuity can only help.
