How did the Panthers’ offense compare to the winners and losers of Week 1?

The old saying goes that offense wins games and defense wins championships, but that isn’t completely true. In fact, credit for championships is about evenly split between the two sides. (For more details, read this Freakonomics article.)

But for the casual fan, an anemic offense is easier to spot, and thus blame. Fans notice dropped passes and three-and-outs much more than they do the defense allowing a first down on a third-and-short.

The Panthers have consistently struggled on offense over the past three seasons. Over that time, they ranked 18th, 18th and 19th in points scored. They have an equally mediocre ranking on yards per game, ranking 12th, 26th, and 16th.

Each week this season, we will follow the Panthers’ offensive efforts and compare them to the winners and losers around the league to see how they match up.

Photo: Jeff Siner/Charlotte Observer

Clayton Hanson enjoys naps and pizza. He’s also the author of two novels.  Follow him on Twitter @ClaytoninCLT.

This story was originally published September 17, 2015 at 10:00 PM with the headline "How did the Panthers’ offense compare to the winners and losers of Week 1?."