The 4 biggest things you should take away from the Panthers’ 28-27 loss to Vikings
On paper, the Minnesota Vikings (5-6) and the Carolina Panthers (4-8) matched up pretty evenly.
The game was decided by a single point. Each team went 6 of 14 (43%) on third down. The Panthers finished with 374 net yards, while the Vikings had 387. Both had three touchdowns.
And that’s how you know several things went wrong for the Panthers.
It was a game that should have featured a non-stressful fourth quarter and allowed hybrid defender Jeremy Chinn to have a glowing postgame Zoom press conference with the media, talking about his two scores and the history that he made.
Instead, it was anything but.
Chinn led to more points being scored than the entire offense combined. It was the Panthers’ eighth game this year decided by one score. The team is 2-6 in those games.
The Panthers will now head into their bye week with a bitter taste in their mouths. Here are some other takeaways from the game.
Let’s hope DJ Moore’s injury isn’t severe
This is less of a takeaway and more of something to keep an eye on.
DJ Moore has become the Panthers’ No. 1 receiver. He has 924 receiving yards and four touchdowns. Moore is averaging 18.5 yards per reception and has worked well with Teddy Bridgewater this year, despite an off day between the pair Sunday (four catches on nine targets for 61 yards).
But at the end of the game, Moore suffered a non-contact ankle injury on a third-down play that Bridgewater said should have come in sooner (about 13 seconds were left on the play clock) to give him and the offense more time to evaluate the Vikings defense and adjust accordingly.
It’s unclear at this time how severe Moore’s injury is — head coach Matt Rhule did not have an update after the game — but if it’s serious, the fact that it came on a play where he was wide open and the coaching staff didn’t act quicker will be tough. Even with only four games left, having Moore on the field is valuable and no one wants to see injuries.
Bridgewater also injured his arm, but he said he was good after the game.
Joey Slye’s misses are something to watch
Panthers kicker Joey Slye has been asked to do some crazy things this season.
The coaching staff has trusted him with two end-of-game attempts that would have each set the record for the longest kick made in NFL history. He missed both, but against the Vikings (indoors) he was given an opportunity to win the game with a 54-yard field goal. It’s a a kick he said should be in his range, and he is expected to make at a high percentage. Instead, the kick sailed way wide left.
“I think that’s 100% in range, just based off what I’ve put on tape and what I’ve been able to do. A 54-yarder is something that should be in my wheelhouse,” Slye said. “.For me not to do what they sent me out there to do and what I feel comfortable hitting is frustrating for me.”
Slye also had a 28-yard kick blocked Sunday, but made two other field goals. He is now 1 of 6 from 50-plus yards on the season, including the historic attempts. That’s after going 8 of 11 from the same distance last season.
There was no weather to impact the end-of-game attempt as the wind did in Kansas City a few weeks ago. Instead, Slye felt that he hit some of the turf from the field on the back end of the kick, but overall he had felt good about it.
“Felt good warming up. We’ll see if my chest is forward, my foot is probably down. If my chest is forward, foot’s down it’s going to hit deep on the ball, I’m going to get on that right panel and pull it,” Slye said. “That’s kind of what I am thinking happened, but like I said, I just have to look at the film and see it live speed. (I’m) not elite in my position there so pretty frustrated about that.”
These are high expectations for a kicker. But it’s also who Slye is supposed to be. He’s known for his big leg, and the Panthers’ faith in him and that leg are why they elected to part with longtime kicker Graham Gano, who has only missed one kick this season (25 of 26 and 4 of 5 from 50-plus) with the New York Giants. Evaluating Slye’s consistency over the next four games should be a priority.
Christian McCaffrey is missed, obviously
This doesn’t need to be lengthy and it’s not new. The team’s best offensive player missing nine games makes this a consistent theme. However, the loss to the Vikings was another example of where Christian McCaffrey’s presence was clearly missed. It’s not hard to point to places where his playmaking ability would have be useful. It’s all over the field, and although Mike Davis has filled in well and rookie Rodney Smith has shown promise, McCaffrey is irreplaceable in this offense. That’s why the Panthers paid him so much.
Panthers improved draft position is a plus
Looking for a positive from the Panthers’ loss?
If the 2021 NFL draft started right now, Carolina would own the sixth overall pick in the draft. That’s much improved from the 10th pick the Panthers came into the day with.
The bye week will allow other teams to catch up in the loss column, but there are a lot of ways the Panthers would be able to improve with a pick like that.
REQUIRED PANTHERS READING
+ 2 TDs in 10 seconds? Jeremy Chinn left no doubt who the NFL’s best rookie on defense is
+ Teddy Bridgewater’s return to Minnesota falls short on ‘panicked’ play call
+ Matt Rhule said Panthers coaches let team down in loss to Minnesota — and he’s right
+ Analysis: Panthers had the Vikings beat. It was poor play calls that cost them — again
This story was originally published November 29, 2020 at 9:53 PM.
