The Carolina Panthers went from looking like a surprise playoff contender to falling off a cliff rather quickly. In their game against the New York Giants, it was abundantly clear that this franchise is not quite ready for the next step. We're taking a look at the Panthers-Giants matchup with our Panthers Week 7 takeaways in mind.

Considering how bad the Giants have looked this season, it was shocking to see the Panthers struggle so much. Nothing worked and the defense was abysmal. The team has to work something out, otherwise, their season could completely fall apart sooner, rather than later.

It's obvious this team is missing Christian McCaffrey, as the current running backs were virtually absent against New York. On the other hand, Carolina has a superstar wide receiver in DJ Moore and he has to be given more opportunities. Lastly, it's starting to look like Sam Darnold's time is running out. With that said, here are three Panthers' Week 7 takeaways from their game against the Giants.

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Panthers Week 7 Takeaways

3. Carolina desperately needs Christian McCaffrey

The Carolina Panthers finished with a measly 56 rushing yards on the day. They couldn't find any running room and quickly had to ditch the run game due to the game script. Christian McCaffrey brings an entirely new element to this offense and he's dearly missed right now.

It's hard to lose the superstar player on the offense, but the current reserves just are not cutting it. Chuba Hubbard is a rookie who has been exposed recently and his immediate backup is Royce Freeman who has struggled throughout his NFL career. Hopefully, McCaffrey returns soon, otherwise, this offense is going to keep being mediocre.

2. DJ Moore needs to be fed the ball more often

DJ Moore is a rising star in Carolina but somehow the team struggles to get him the ball at times. He's proven to be a reliable pass target who is dangerous after the catch. His 78 receiving yards led the team by a long shot, but he has to get more involved regardless.

Hopefully, this coaching staff can figure things out soon before it's too late. Otherwise, they'll be stuck near the bottom of the pool again showing no signs of improvement. We'll see how it plays out, but for now, DJ Moore's season outlook is up in the air due to the poor quarterback play.

1. Sam Darnold is not a starting-caliber quarterback

Everyone gave Sam Darnold the benefit of the doubt as he had Adam Gase coaching him during his time with the New York Jets. However, it seems as though Darnold might not be a great quarterback in the NFL. After throwing for just 111 yards and an interception, it might be time Carolina moves on and finds a new leader for the offense.

Darnold's performance was so bad that Carolina has immediately been rumored to be one of the teams reaching out to the Houston Texans for Deshaun Watson. Keep an eye on this situation as news could be dropping at any moment.