Make that two losses in a row as the Panthers got utterly dominated by a rejuvenated Falcons team today.
Make that two losses in a row as the Panthers got utterly dominated by a rejuvenated Falcons team today. There’s plenty of blame to go around.
Let’s take a look at this week’s winners and losers.
Loser: QB Kyle Allen
Remember just a few short weeks ago when some fans were saying that they did not need Cam Newton anymore? Those same people are nowhere to be found now. Allen was atrocious on Sunday. He might have thrown for a career high of 325 yards but he had no choice but to throw the ball as he fought from behind all day long. Allen threw four interceptions and could have had even more.
A lot went into the loss, but Allen should take most of the blame here after such a horrendous performance.
Loser: Panthers offensive line
One reason Allen struggled so much was the performance of Carolina’s offensive line. The right and left tackles kept allowing Allen to get pressured by a bad Atlanta pass rush. In the end, the Falcons had five sacks and 10 QB hits and forced Allen to make some bad decisions.
Winner: RB Christian McCaffrey
With 121 yards caught through the air and an additional 70 yards on the ground, running back Christian McCaffrey had himself another stellar game. He set a record for becoming the first NFL player to total 1,000 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards in 10 games. Unfortunately, it was all for nothing. McCaffrey can’t be expected to do everything.
Loser: WR Curtis Samuel
For a player who was supposed to have a breakout season, Samuel has been quiet for a while now. Today, he caught four passes for only 25 yards. You can only blame Allen for so much. The Panthers need more from their play-makers, Samuel included.
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