A half-dozen notes from Tuesday’s media availability with Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera.
1.) Tuesday Afternoon Quarterbacking
It’s unclear why tight end Greg Olsen was visibly frustrated after the Panthers went three-and-out on their final drive Monday night, but it’s not a stretch to think he didn’t agree with the play call on third down.
Facing a third-and-two from the Carolina 44-yard line, offensive coordinator Mike Shula dialed up a third straight run for Cameron Artis-Payne. The Bucs’ makeshift defensive line was on the ropes, and Artis-Payne had set career highs with 17 carries for 86 yards and two touchdowns, but his 18th and final attempt resulted in a one-yard loss.
“That last play, if we block it up the way we’re supposed to — we don’t miss the block on the edge and we cut the guy off on the back side, he’s going to pick up the first down,” Rivera said. “But we missed the guy on the edge and we didn’t block the guy on the back side.
“Could we have called something different? Maybe. But for the circumstances, for what they aligned in, that was the right play.”
It’s obvious to anyone who pays attention that we wouldn’t have won any of the games we lost if we still had Josh Norman.
Rivera needs to stop whining about the schedule. Worry about the sloppy mistakes and the lack of pass rush.