USAT: Panthers Wire audio clip

USAT: Panthers Wire

Jan 15, 2022

Just as the final seven games of this 2021 Carolina Panthers season, this rundown across the sport’s power rankings won’t be pretty. But, since the campaign is now over, we feel obligated to wrap this one upeven at the expense of your eyes and/or stomach.Enjoy!NFL.comAuthor: Dan HanzusRank: 30 (-)Author’s take: “ThePanthers still believe Matt Rhule can be the answer on the sideline, but nothing will change if this team cant eliminate its gross deficiencies on offense. Carolina averaged less than 18 points per game, assubpar playat quarterback and along the offensive line shipwreckedthe attack. Add in dysfunction within the coaching ranks (offensive coordinator Joe Brady was fired in-season) and another injury-plagued year forChristian McCaffrey(hamstring/ankle), and the Panthers second-half nosedive makes sense. A sensible first step:Rhule needs tolock down a new play-caller, then decide if quarterbackSam Darnoldshould remain in the equation.”CBS SportsAuthor: Pete PriscoRank: 26 (-)Author’s take: “The offense was horrible this season, which led to the firing of Joe Brady. They need a new quarterback. That could be Deshaun Watson.”Pro Football TalkAuthor: Mike FlorioRank: 27 (-)Author’s take: “It still feels like things are far from settled in Carolina.”Yahoo! SportsAuthor: Frank SchwabRank: 29 (-1)Author’s take: “The Panthers lost their last seven games and gave up at least 27 points six times in that streak. The Panthers have more talent on defense than that. But absolutely, positively everything about the Panthers was bad for the last couple months of the season.”Our final take:There aren’t many, if any, teams that seem to be in a more precarious spot. While they do have some legitimate young talent to build their roster on, Carolina’s head-coaching disaster has led them into a giant hole at the quarterback position and just a giant hole in general with a 10-23 mark over the past two seasons.(At least the New York Giants finally admitted to their mistake.)With not a ton of cap space and very limited resources in the upcoming draft, the Panthers will have to get seriously creative to dig themselves out.RelatedPanthers fire trio of coaches on TuesdayRelatedPanthers reportedly set to talk with Vikings OC Klint KubiakListWhat we learned from Panthers' 2021 exit interviewsEmailSign upLike this article?Sign up for the Panthers Wire email newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morningAn error has occuredPlease re-enter your email address.Thanks for signing up!You'll now receive the top Panthers Wire stories each day directly in your inbox.

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