The story of the Carolina Panthers’ offensive struggles in 2023 has had quite a few consistent subplots, with the lack of separation in the passing game headlining them all. But head coach Frank Reich isn’t reading it that way.
Reich took the lectern on Friday afternoon, just hours removed a disappointing showing in a 16-13 loss to the Chicago Bears. And after a night where it took all of 45 yards to lead his team in receiving, Reich was asked if he believes Carolina’s pass catchers are gaining enough space.
“I think we’re making plays, getting open enough,” he said. “Listen, they get paid too. There’s times where we get covered. But I think when I look at the whole of things, are we running in a way and getting open enough in a way to execute and make plays? We are. It can always be better, of course. It can always be better. But I think we are.”
It surely can be better.
According to NFL’s Next Gen Stats, no Panthers wide receiver averaged more than 3.1 yards of separation going into Week 10. And that may have been the case once again, as the offense amassed all of 170 yards through the air against the fifth-worst pass defense.
So, if it’s not the receivers, is it the quarterback? Reich was later asked if he believes Bryce Young is seeing the field well enough.
“I think Bryce sees the field incredibly well,” he replied. “Any quarterback will tell ya, any quarterback will tell ya—there’s times that you don’t see anything. You don’t see someone. Are there one or two times in the game where maybe a guy was open and we didn’t see him? Yeah. There’s not many of those, when it comes to Bryce. He sees it well. But he’s like every other quarterback, even the best, right? You don’t always see everything.
“So, I think, if I’m evaluating Bryce’s field vision, I give him an ‘A.’ Do we occasionally miss something? Of course. So does everybody.”
Well, at least someone is grading out well at something these days.
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