Panthers’ OL opens up a light at the end of the tunnel for Carolina’s playoff drought
If the Carolina Panthers’ offensive line was the cast of a network TV show, Saturday’s historic 37-23 win over the Detroit Lions would be the only tape the group would need to pull for their respective Emmy campaigns.
It was a masterclass.
Not only did the Panthers set a franchise record with 320 rushing yards, they also set a new franchise high mark for total yardage with 570 yards overall. On top of those accomplishments, quarterback Sam Darnold was kept clean — with no sacks or QB hits — on the way to a stellar 121.4 passer rating.
Interim head coach Steve Wilks consistently says everything starts up front with the Panthers. On Christmas Eve, the offensive line was both naughty and nice, leading the way for a win and vital momentum heading into the final two games of the campaign.
The Panthers (6-9) hold their playoff destiny in their hands. That outlook is primarily due to the offensive line’s overarching dominance in a must-win game in below-freezing temperatures.
“We knew that’s who we can be,” center Bradley Bozeman said. “We’ve just got to be consistent and do that every game.”
If the Panthers win their final two games — against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints — they’ll produce the first playoff berth and NFC South title of David Tepper’s ownership tenure, which began in 2018.
To accomplish that feat and end a four-year playoff drought, the offensive line needs to be effective in all areas, as the unit was against the Lions.
Against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 15, the group crumbled after a miserable start. In the bounce-back effort against the Lions, the group surged after an efficient opening series, which featured five consecutive runs for 78 yards and a touchdown.
Wilks wants to run the ball, but he also wants to be creative. Offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo — a repeated target for play-calling criticism — showed both goals are possible to pull off in the win against the Lions.
“I think you have to give a lot of credit to McAdoo and the offensive coaches,” Wilks said. “We constantly talk about trying to stay ahead of the curve, trying to be a little innovative in the things that we are doing because we feel like we do have the personnel.”
The Panthers didn’t just win with up-the-gut runs against Detroit. The offense also picked up chunks of yardage by sending the running backs outside and letting the offensive linemen block in space.
That play-calling versatility makes the Panthers’ running game hard to stop.
“I think that kind of goes over some people’s heads,” running back Chuba Hubbard said. “We can run inside zone, outside zone. We can do gap scheme. We can do whatever, really, that we want to do. It’s great to know that we don’t always have to stick to one run . . . we can switch it up, too.”
Once the Panthers establish their running game against an opposing defense, the passing attack can eat, too.
Against the Lions, Darnold was able to move the ball with a well-blended mix of deep shots and timing throws, largely due to Detroit’s focus on stopping Carolina’s running backs.
Darnold also was able to create time with play-action fakes because the defense had to respect the run, or find itself gashed for a tote of 20 or more yards.
“It’s awesome when it just kind of flows like that and clicks,” left guard Brady Christensen said.
With the Buccaneers on deck, the Panthers are going want to play “keep away” with Tom Brady.
In their Week 7 home win against the Buccaneers, the Panthers — with Bozeman anchoring the offensive line for the first time — did an excellent job of keeping the ball out of Brady’s hands by dominating the trenches and opening up gaps for big runs by D’Onta Foreman.
That was the first win of the Wilks era, and it helped establish a new ground-and-pound identity in the wake of the Week 6 firing of former head coach Matt Rhule.
“I think that’s identity that we want to have as an offense,” rookie left tackle Ikem Ekwonu said. “Being able to run the ball at will, being able to win the game in the trenches.”
As the Panthers prepare to grind for their playoff lives against two familiar divisional opponents — both of whom they defeated earlier in the campaign — the line will need to continue to serve as the catalyst for success.
Right guard Austin Corbett, who won a Super Bowl last season with the Los Angeles Rams, knows how important it is to maintain the momentum down the stretch.
If the Panthers can into the playoffs, they’ll prove to be a tough out with the way they are running the ball and protecting it.
“It doesn’t matter how you start, it’s all about your finish, and the playoffs (are) all about who is hot at the right time,” Corbett said. “I think guys finally understand that this division is up for grabs, and it’s in our hands to go get it done, and we wouldn’t want it any other way.”
This story was originally published December 26, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
