Panthers lose sixth straight despite Christian McCaffrey’s historic day
There’s a lot that will be forgettable about the Panthers’ 2019 season.
From the consistent mistakes in the secondary, to the run defense woes, to the turnovers, Carolina’s issues on the field have become formulaic.
Against the Seattle Seahawks, there were the same reminders of why this season will be one quickly forgotten, only remembered for the things that happened off the field. Once again the Panthers got close, but couldn’t come back from an early hole in a 30-24 loss that extended their losing streak to six.
Getting off to slow starts has been the Panthers’ kryptonite. Carolina has lost every time it has been down at halftime this year. The Panthers started off the game against Seattle giving up plays of 40-plus yards on consecutive drives and allowing the Seahawks to score touchdowns on each of their first three drives. Defensive leaders were seen talking animatedly to teammates on the sideline far too early in this game. Heads shouldn’t be hanging low in the first quarter.
After giving up a touchdown last week against the Falcons, cornerback Donte Jackson was an early culprit again, finding himself on the wrong side of multiple big plays.
“I considered (replacing Jackson today) and he was a little frustrated at times out there and I know he was trying to play hard,” interim head coach Perry Fewell said. “He was trying to do the right things, he was just so hyped and excited about what he was doing out there that he kind of just lost his way a little bit. I just felt like if we could steer him in the right direction, he would play better.”
To Carolina’s credit, it did hang in the game and almost made a last minute comeback. Fewell elected not to go for an onside kick after the Panthers made it a one-score game in the fourth quarter as he felt they had a better chance of surprising Seattle by kicking deep. It didn’t work.
In similar fashion to their recent losses against Washington and the New Orleans Saints, the Panthers had a chance. But chances haven’t resulted in much for the Panthers this season.
Three interceptions by Carolina quarterback Kyle Allen, including two on consecutive drives in the second half, were reminders of his recent woes. After a hot start in which he threw zero interceptions in four games, Allen has thrown 15 interceptions in his past eight starts.
The giveaways doomed Carolina in the third period — despite the defense holding Seattle to just three points in a quarter they have struggled in this year. Cornerback Tre Boston even grabbed an interception on a pass thrown by Seattle wide receiver Josh Gordon on a trick play for the Panthers’ second takeaway in the past six games.
The run defense was unable to stop Chris Carson, allowing two rushing touchdowns and 121 yards on the ground.
None of this is new, it has all been the Panthers’ downfall before.
Of course Russell Wilson putting on a show and continuing his success in the state of North Carolina was an obstacle for the Panthers as well. He completed 20 of 26 attempts for 286 yards and two touchdowns. But his performance wasn’t what doomed them.
“We needed every break,” Fewell said. “We had opportunities to get some turnovers, we capitalized on a couple turnovers, but we just didn’t make them pay for their mistakes and we made some mistakes and gave them an opportunity to score early in the ball game and when you get behind early in the ballgame against a good football team, a 10-3 football team, and you’re a struggling football team that’s tough. That’s really tough.”
But what should and will be remembered from this season and this game, despite the many losses and the bad decisions, is the year running back Christian McCaffrey is having.
Against Seattle, McCaffrey became the first player in Panthers history to have more than 2,000 scrimmage yards in a single season, breaking his own franchise record from last year. He has set more records than can be counted this season and had 175 total scrimmage yards and both of Carolina’s touchdowns against the Seahawks. Multiple times in the game, McCaffrey willed first downs for the Panthers offense, accounting for 10 of their 28 in the game. He was the leading rusher and receiver and scored both of the team’s touchdowns.
“He’s such a fantastic player. I just marvel at his toughness, he’s so consistently tough,” Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said. “I don’t know if you guys talk about him here that way, but he’s a great competitor and he battles every week. We hit the heck out of him today and kept bringing it and he kept fighting and getting up. And then I kept wondering, is he going to hang on the ground a little bit. He didn’t He’s just a magnificent player.”
If this team had a different record, a very large if, he would be alongside Lamar Jackson and Russell Wilson in the MVP debate.
“When you have a guy having such a great season, to not win, when you have a guy that should be in the MVP conversation and his name just goes silent because you’re not having a great season, it’s a learning experience,” offensive guard Trai Turner said.
Outside of McCaffrey the Panthers offense showed promise at times, including a second-quarter touchdown drive that featured jet sweeps, misdirection and Carolina actually crossing into the end zone from the 1-yard line, in addition to an impressive second touchdown drive in the fourth quarter that kept the Panthers in the game.
But every time the Panthers offense seemed to get something going, the drive was stopped by a turnover or a dropped pass. Unfortunately, McCaffrey ‘s remarkable season will remembered for the success he had despite the team he was on.
On paper, it looks like the Panthers’ offense almost matched the Seahawks in every category. But the turnovers by Allen and the early hole Carolina found itself were too much to overcome despite McCaffrey continuing his historic season.
“We play the game to win and it should matter to you, and it should hurt when you lose. We just haven’t done enough,” linebacker Luke Kuechly said. “And you’re searching for what that enough is.”
This story was originally published December 15, 2019 at 4:23 PM.
