It seems as if the Carolina Panthers can’t have two nice things at one time. In recent years it’s been the offense that has failed to carry its weight – ranking at or near the bottom of the league in total yards per game, total touchdowns, net passing yards, sacks allowed and points per game just last season. That lack of offensive efficiency had a ripple effect on the team as a whole – putting a strain on a Carolina defensive unit that was formidable – ranking 4th in the league in total yards allowed per game.
This year it’s nearly the complete opposite.
Andy Dalton’s insertion at quarterback, in addition to upgrades along the offensive line and the wide receiver corps has bolstered a once anemic Panthers’ offense – a group that has improved in every offensive statistical category. But with the offense’s progression came the defense’s regression.
The Panthers rank last in points allowed per game and near the bottom in total net yards allowed per game, rushing yards allowed per game, sacks per game and third down efficiency. It’s a stark contrast that isn’t lost on corner back Jaycee Horn.
“Every year it’s been ‘Of if we had an offense we’d be straight. We’d be good,'” Horn said after the Panthers’ week six loss to the Falcons. “Now I feel the offense is playing good and the defense isn’t putting it together right now. That’s the most frustrating part. I didn’t really see it going like this.”
With the departure of key components of last year’s unit, including Brian Burns, Donte Jackson and Frankie Luvu, and devastating early season injuries to Derrick Brown and Shaq Thompson some type of fall-off is expected, but it wasn’t supposed to be off a cliff.
“No one is coming to save us,” defensive back Xavier Woods said. “We’re not going out to get someone to save us. We have to fight with the guys who are in the room.”
But are those guys enough? Can defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, who has head-coaching aspirations, pull off a miracle? Can the Panthers’ defense be fixed?
“Hell yeah, it can be fixed,” Horn told me confidently shaking his head up and down. “It’s just want-to. We’ve got to bite down on our mouth piece and go out there and win. Win on first and second down, and when we get teams in third and long we have to strap up and do our job on the back end. It can definitely be fixed and I’ve got belief in all the players. We have to just keep striving and keep going.”