Grading the Carolina Panthers in their blowout loss at the San Francisco 49ers
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Panthers at 49ers
Expanded coverage of Carolina’s Week 8 loss at San Francisco
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From good to horrifying, the bye week didn’t do the Panthers any favors ahead of a 51-13 loss at San Francisco.
Passing offense
D: Kyle Allen is perfect no more. His first career loss. His first career interceptions. The key to Allen’s success through his first four starts of this season had been not trying to do too much. He’s an undrafted quarterback who knows he’s not Cam Newton, and he used that to his advantage, making smart decision after smart decision to keep the Panthers in early championship contention in the NFC South. On Sunday against the 49ers, he again didn’t try to do too much, but with a pass rush and secondary as dangerous as San Francisco’s, his conservative play is what hurt Carolina.
The first of seven sacks he took was a result of missing his window to throw to an open Christian McCaffrey on a crossing route. When Carolina was already down two scores early in the second quarter, he began to force his passes, which led to his first interception. He took a couple of deep shots (into double-coverage) but was never able to complete anything to spark the offense.
He threw two more interceptions late in the third quarter, once to Richard Sherman, and then to Nick Bosa, who just put his arms up trying to defend a pass in the flats intended for Reggie Bonnafon and ended up with the ball in his arms.
Passing defense
C: On “National Tight End Day,” which, yes, is a holiday the 49ers made up last year, tight end George Kittle dominated the Panthers. He had six receptions for 86 yards and though he didn’t find the end zone (his score was called back on an offensive pass interference), Kittle helped set up both of quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo’s passing touchdowns.
The only noteworthy play Carolina’s defense made Sunday was Luke Kuechly intercepting a Garoppolo pass on the 49ers’ second drive. That’s where any compliments about the Panthers end.
Down 27-3 early in the third quarter, Bruce Irvin sacked Garoppolo in the end zone for a safety, but that play never swung momentum back in Carolina’s favor. The 49ers had already sealed the game.
Rushing offense
B: Thank goodness for McCaffrey giving us something positive to talk about. McCaffrey scored Carolina’s only touchdown on 40-yard run that was sprung by a beautifully executed block by wide receiver DJ Moore, and then CMC converted the two-point try. The sequence cut the 49ers’ lead to 27-13 with 11:15 remaining in the third quarter.
McCaffrey, who finished with 117 rushing yards, had a 47-yard carry called back in the second quarter because of an unnecessary holding penalty by Trai Turner.
Sunday was the first time this season the 49ers had allowed a 100-yard rusher.
Rushing defense
D: The Panthers entered Sunday ranked 23rd in the NFL in rush defense at 119 yards allowed per game. The 49ers gave the remaining seven opponents on the Panthers’ schedule a blueprint to make sure Carolina finishes dead last.
San Francisco was led by Tevin Coleman’s 105 yards and three touchdowns, and totaled 232 yards on 38 carries as a team. Former South Carolina standout Deebo Samuel, a wide receiver, carried twice for 29 yards and a score.
Special teams
C: It wouldn’t be a Panthers game without someone fumbling a return. Ray-Ray McCloud was released from the team because he couldn’t hold on to the ball, and Sunday, new kickoff returner Reggie Bonnafon was guilty of putting the football on the turf during his second kick return. It was a muff — and he recovered it — but it resulted in a 1-yard return.
Amplifying the insult was the first time the Panthers forced San Francisco to punt, Brandon Zylstra muffed the return, beginning the drive at Carolina’s 7-yard line.
Kicker Joey Slye made his only field-goal attempt (41 yards).
Coaching
F: Didn’t the Panthers have a bye last week? Didn’t this coaching staff have two weeks to prepare this team for undefeated San Francisco?
Carolina barely showed up.
This story was originally published October 27, 2019 at 7:10 PM.
