Instant Panthers analysis: Listless play, Newton picks, third-down woes, heated seats

Instant analysis from the Carolina Panthers’ 24-17 loss to Tampa Bay on Sunday.

Listless, uninspired play to start, picks to seal loss

Carolina entered Sunday’s game knowing it absolutely had to win, after three consecutive losses and a 1-4 road record.

But the Panthers came out flat and failed to capitalize on opportunities, dropping a fourth straight game.

Quarterback Cam Newton threw two interceptions in the first half, the first of which occurred on third down. He threw a third interception in the fourth quarter, and a fourth with 5:11 to play.

The four interceptions tied a career-worst for Newton, who threw four against Detroit in his rookie season.

Tampa Bay scored 10 points off Newton’s first-half interceptions.

Carolina got the ball back in the second quarter courtesy of an Eric Reid forced fumble, recovered by linebacker Luke Kuechly in the Buccaneers’ end zone for a touchback. But the offense wasted the opportunity with a holding penalty on right tackle Taylor Moton and a false start penalty on Newton on the following series. On third down and 13, Newton held on to the ball and had to get rid of it, forcing a Panthers punt.

On defense, Carolina scratched former first-round pick Vernon Butler, opting instead to rotate Wes Horton inside at defensive end at times. The Panthers showed a few different looks than they have in recent weeks, and racked up three first-half sacks, but the rush and the coverage from the secondary once again did not complement each other. Receiver Chris Godwin, covered mostly by rookie cornerback Donte Jackson, racked up 75 yards and a touchdown in the first half.

Third and longs shoot Panthers in foot

Jackson gave up an 18-yard Godwin catch on third down and 11 in the third quarter to keep the defense on the field. A play later, the officials called pass interference against Jackson in the end zone after Bobo Wilson, the target of quarterback Jameis Winston, simply fell down on the play. Tampa Bay scored a play later.

The call was extremely questionable. But Carolina should have gotten off the field on the third and 11.

Down seven late in the fourth quarter, the Panthers failed to stop another big third down, this time as Tampa converted on third and 17 to stay on the field as the fourth quarter began.

And third-and-longs were the biggest thorn in the Panthers’ side.

Winston threw a touchdown to Godwin on third and 11 in the second quarter. In the third quarter, a third-and-7 was converted by a pass interference penalty against cornerback James Bradberry. Winston hit Godwin again to convert a third-and-18 four plays later.

Tampa Bay had scored two touchdowns on third down as the fourth quarter began.

Carolina got a critical stop on third and 12 with 9:36 left to play, after Newton had thrown his third interception to give the Buccaneers the ball back.

A warm seat gets hotter

The Panthers are in clear danger of missing the playoffs. Head coach Ron Rivera’s seat should have already warm after Carolina lost two of its last three to very beatable teams, and dropped four of its five losses by one possession.

But now either Rivera, or some of his defensive assistants, or both, are on the hot seat. They’ll stay there unless they can manage to put together complete football games in the last four weeks of the year. And they might not even have that long.

This story was originally published December 2, 2018 at 4:06 PM.