The 4 biggest things you should take away from the Panthers’ 33-31 loss to the Chiefs
Few, if any, predicted the Carolina Panthers would have a chance to upset the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.
On paper, the Panthers were overmatched. The Chiefs, who won the Super Bowl last year, have the second-best record in the league, and All-Pro quarterback Patrick Mahomes remains in rare form. He entered Sunday’s game with the second-most passing yards and second-most passing touchdowns in the league.
But here were the Panthers, leading the Chiefs 17-13 at halftime and defying odds.
The Panthers had a chance to win it, trailing 33-31 with a 1:26 left in the game, and the ball in their hands. But great teams, like the Chiefs, know how to win close games, and the Panthers just aren’t there yet.
Here are four takeaways from Sunday’s game:
Riverboat Rhule?
In 2013, the once conservative Panthers coach Ron Rivera gained the nickname “Riverboat Ron” for his propensity to go for it on fourth down. It resulted in a 12-4 season and a trip to the playoffs that year.
Panthers coach Matt Rhule has shown this season that he’ll be aggressive, too. But Rhule took aggressiveness to a new level Sunday against the Chiefs. The Panthers went for it on fourth down three times, converting all three, and attempted two onside kicks, though neither was successful.
Rhule said the Panthers’ inability to score touchdowns when reaching the red zone was why they were aggressive throughout the game. The Panthers needed touchdowns and not field goals against the Chiefs’ high-powered offense.
The aggressive approach helped the Panthers, who were big underdogs, heading into Sunday’s game. All three of the Panthers’ fourth-down conversions led to touchdowns.
The Panthers are 8 for 13 on fourth-down attempts this season.
Few targets for DJ Moore
Panthers quarterback Teddy Bridgewater threw a season-high 49 times Sunday against the Chiefs. Yet, DJ Moore, one of the Panthers’ top wideouts, had two catches for a season-low 18 yards on three targets.
Moore’s 2020 season so far has been defined by its inconsistency. There are games when he and Bridgewater look in sync. Moore had 13 catches for 120 yards in Week 2. He had five catches for 93 yards and two touchdowns in Week 7. And then there are games like Sunday, when Moore and Bridgewater just don’t appear to be on the same page.
Panthers offensive coordinator Joe Brady has dismissed the notion that Bridgewater and Moore lack chemistry. He has pointed to the variety of weapons the Panthers have as to why Moore hasn’t had big games each week.
Some of that is true. Christian McCaffrey also returned for the first time since Week 2. But that shouldn’t take away from Moore’s production.
For Moore to be targeted on only 6% of Bridgewater’s 49 pass attempts points to a problem the Panthers need to address. Moore is one of the Panthers’ best playmakers, and the ball should find his hands more than three times a game.
Penalties still a problem
In a game against the Chiefs, when all the odds are stacked against the Panthers, mistakes are something that can’t happen. And the Panthers made plenty of them. They had 12 penalties for 85 yards. Three of those penalties resulted in first downs for Kansas City.
The penalties ranged from illegal formation on offense, to defensive holding, to offensive holding. The Panthers were undisciplined, and it hurt them.
Penalties have been a problem all season. The Panthers have been flagged 68 times this season, fifth-most in the league.
“Self-inflicted wounds, I mean that’s what’s killing us,” Panthers linebacker Shaq Thompson said. “Everybody knows football, you can’t win with penalties. That is what happened to us, especially on the defensive side, self-inflicted wounds. We gave them plays that they shouldn’t have got.”
Panthers will still ride Christian McCaffrey
McCaffrey finally returned to the football field after missing the past six weeks with a serious high ankle sprain. But in his first game back, McCaffrey played well. The running back rushed for 69 yards and a touchdown, and had 10 catches for 82 yards and a touchdown.
McCaffrey touched the ball 28 times, which is on par with the touches he received prior to his injury. The Panthers’ reliance on McCaffrey shows that they won’t change much with the All-Pro back in the lineup.
He’s still a huge threat, and the Panthers are going to use him.
McCaffrey gives the Panthers their best chance to win. He was not made available after Sunday’s game but is expected to be available Monday.
Mike Davis, who filled in while McCaffrey was out, played some but was mostly involved in blocking. He had a huge block on a Curtis Samuel touchdown play in the second quarter. He also had five catches for 34 yards and one rush for 3 yards.
— Jonathan M. Alexander
Required reading
+ Analysis: Panthers threw everything at Chiefs and almost pulled it off. Now they’re mad.
+ Grading the Carolina Panthers in their Week 9 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs
+ Panthers-Chiefs game live updates: Panthers miss 67-yard game-winning field goal
+ How do you (almost) beat the Chiefs? Panthers find the blue print with their playcalls
+ Who is the most improved player on the Panthers? He showed up again in loss to Chiefs
+ Christian McCaffrey made a difference in every way but one in Panthers loss to Chiefs
+ Panthers rookie Derrick Brown is a beast on the field, and more special off it
