Grading the Carolina Panthers in their Week 3 win over the Chargers
It had been 10 NFL weeks dating back to the 2019 season since the Carolina Panthers last won a game.
But they finally did it Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. The Panthers’ defense played its best game through three weeks, and it came in the form of a 21-16 win.
Carolina improved to 1-2 on the season. Here are the grades for this week:
Passing offense
C: Teddy Bridgewater’s performance Sunday was underwhelming. While he didn’t turn the ball over, he didn’t have many big plays. He was 22-of-28 passing for 235 yards and a touchdown.
The Panthers’ offense also struggled finding the end zone. The Panthers reached the red zone six times Sunday but scored a touchdown once — for a 17% red zone touchdown percentage.
Bridgewater was much better Sunday than he was in Week 2 against the Tampa Bay Bucs, when he had three turnovers (two interceptions and one fumble). For the Panthers to win more games, Bridgewater and the offense have to be more aggressive.
Rushing offense
C-minus: Considering Christian McCaffrey wasn’t available, the Panthers rushing offense was not bad. But it wasn’t good either. Running back Mike Davis, who got the start Sunday, finished with 46 yards rushing on 13 carries. Backup Reggie Bonnafon had 16 yards on two carries, and wide receiver Curtis Samuel had 7 yards rushing.
The Panthers used a running back-by-committee approach Sunday, with most carries going to Davis. The offense was not great as a whole.
The defense won the Panthers this game.
Passing defense
B-minus: Carolina’s pass defense has struggled this season partly because their defensive line hasn’t generated pressure. The Panthers were the only NFL team without a sack entering Sunday’s game.
Defensive ends Marquis Haynes and Brian Burns each had a sack in the first half. Burns’ sack caused a fumble the Panthers recovered. Chargers rookie quarterback Justin Herbert struggled in the first half. He got into a rhythm in the fourth quarter and recorded his first passing touchdown. But it was a little late.
He completed 34-of-48 passes for 321 yards, a touchdown and an interception.
Donte Jackson returned that interception 66 yards, and later had to come out of the game because of a toe injury.
The Panthers did allow the Chargers to travel 70 yards down field on the final drive.
Rushing defense
C-minus: Chargers running backs Austin Ekeler and Joshua Kelley combined with quarterback Herbert to rush for 117 yards and one touchdown on 23 carries.
The score by Ekeler should have been stopped. Linebacker Shaq Thompson, cornerback Rasul Douglas and safety Tre Boston had him bottled up. But somehow Ekeler broke two tackles and rushed for a 12-yard TD. The Chargers were steady all game, and stopping the run remains an issue for the Panthers.
Carolina has allowed seven rushing touchdowns through three games. The Panthers gave up an NFL-record 31 touchdowns in 2019.
Special teams
A: Carolina kicker Joey Slye finished a perfect 5-for-5 on field goal attempts. He also had a tackle on a kick return. The Panthers often had the better field position. Punter Joe Charlton averaged 47 yards on his four punts, including one that was downed late at the Chargers’ 1-yard-line.
Pharoh Cooper’s lone kick return went for 35 yards.
Coaching
B: The Panthers coaching staff gets a B for the win, especially considering they were without their best player in McCaffrey. But when the turnover differential is 3-0, the Panthers should have won by more. The offense failed to take advantage of the gifts the defense handed them Sunday.
This story was originally published September 27, 2020 at 7:18 PM.
