Black and Blue ReviewThe Panthers’ defense was broken for five weeks. It’s been better the last two games, but now the offense is broken.
“I thought the defense came out and gave us a chance to win. The offense had opportunities that were missed, and that’s the disappointing part,” head coach Ron Rivera said Friday, a day after his team’s fifth loss in its last seven games.
The Panthers scored just 10 points Thursday night against the Saints, and they put up just nine versus the Seahawks. It’s the first time they’ve scored 10 or fewer points in consecutive weeks since the final two games of the forgettable 2010 season.
Most concerning is the sudden regression of quarterback Cam Newton, who began the year throwing better than he ever has as a pro. Against the Saints, he set career lows in completions (10), completion percentage (35.7) and passer rating (39.4). And for the second straight week, Rivera admitted his quarterback was pressing.
“He tried to force a couple of shots. He had some easier throws he could have made,” Rivera said.
Newton’s numbers weren’t helped by multiple drops and a makeshift offensive line. But this isn’t a one or two game issue. Since Week 5, he has completed just 54 percent of his passes (87-for-162).
Everyone has had a hand in the mess that is currently the Panthers’ offense, but strangely enough, Newton’s competitiveness may be making it worse.
“He wants to win in a bad way, and he puts it all on himself,” Rivera said. “One of the things he’s going to have to learn and grow on is that he’s got to be willing to take a step back and put the ball in the other playmaker’s hands as well.”