New Era for the Carolina Panthers as They Secure NFC South
With the Falcons beating the Saints, the new era in Carolina has arrived. For the first time in a decade, the Panthers have won the NFC South. Not as clean as I'm sure everyone would like, but given last year, this is an absolute win. The coaching staff and the front office should be very pleased heading into the playoffs.
Job's not done yet, though. The Panthers will have a chance to avenge their loss to the 49ers. In Week 12, the 49ers blew out the Panthers on primetime, 20-9. The Panthers struggled mightily against a banged-up 49ers defense. Bryce Young threw two picks in the game, where the offense struggled to get any traction outside of a first-quarter touchdown. Somehow, the 49ers are even more banged up than they were in Week 12, but their offense is firing on all cylinders. With the return of starting quarterback Brock Purdy, the 49ers put up back-to-back 40-point games in Weeks 16 and 17. They ran into their division rivals, the Seahawks, who held them three points, but the Seahawks are currently the best team in the NFC and also trounced the Panthers.
The biggest issue entering the playoffs is the play-calling. Head coach and play caller Dave Canales has abandoned the run in the past few games. The Panthers' rushing attack is too good for it to take a back seat in the most crucial game of the season. Hopefully, Pro Bowler and starter Robert Hunt will return for the playoffs, as the Panthers opened his window last week. As well as the failed flea-flicker play that sealed the game against Tampa Bay. More importantly, if Canales decides he wants to air it out again, Xavier Legette will need to step up, and now is better late than never. The Panthers need explosive plays to bust the game wide open.
The defense has been solid all year, but 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan outcoached the Panthers to score two touchdowns. The Panthers' soft zone has been weak to tight ends, and 49ers tight end George Kittle is one of the best. He cannot be allowed to exploit the middle of the field, where the Panthers' linebacker corps is significantly lacking due to injuries and a lack of talent. The hard part of slowing down the 49ers is trying to stop Christian McCaffery. McCaffery has been an absolute monster this season and will be featured more than ever. Defensive coordinator Evero Ejiro has his work cut out for him, and trying to stop one of the most explosive offenses in the league will determine his offseason.
The Panthers' pass rush has been much improved down the stretch. Recording sacks in all of the last four games, with their best against the Saints in Week 15, with five sacks. Containing Purdy will be a massive step in the right direction. Purdy is very dynamic, capable of standing in the pocket and more than capable of making plays with his legs. Ultimately, he is the nucleus of the offense, armed with offensive genius and the ability to call plays.
Regardless of what happens next week, this season was an absolute win. There are some holes still left to fill, but that can wait for the season's end. The Panthers should be proud as they have finally risen out of the gutter. It is also entirely possible that the Panthers pull off a win with such an injured 49ers team.
