The Carolina Panthers have officially placed quarterback Taylor Heinicke on injured reserve after suffering a left elbow injury in the Week 16 loss to the Atlanta Falcons.

Heinicke was named the start prior to last week's game after the team chose to shut down star quarterback Cam Newton for the rest of the season.

However, after the thrill of getting his first career start, Heinicke won't get an opportunity to be back under center this week against the New Orleans Saints.

It certainly has been a struggle for Carolina at the quarterback position as of late, with Newton's injury limiting what the Panthers were able to do during the back half of the season.

Ron Rivera's squad has now lost seven games in a row, which has been one of the most disappointing developments in the franchise's history after the excellent 6-2 start on the year.

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But with Newton not being himself due to the shoulder issues, the Panthers just haven't been able to find their way, and that has resulted in plenty of uncertainties surrounding this franchise entering what will be a crucial offseason.

While a win over the NFC's top seed in New Orleans would be a nice boost of momentum to finish the season, it won't do much for the long-term outlook for the Panthers.

The team's top priority will be getting Newton healthy, as that will go a long way towards helping Carolina get back on track.

But there are other issues that have to be addressed, and those will determine how quickly the Panthers could return to being a title contender.