For the second straight week, the Carolina Panthers suffered a tough loss, this time at the hands of the Miami Dolphins via a 33-10 defeat. The Week 12 contest exposed Matt Rhule's squad on both ends of the field as they struggled to keep in step with their opponents, so it's time to go over some Panthers takeaway from this loss to the Dolphins.
Certainly enough, Cam Newton and the Panthers will have to quickly fix the errors they committed in the game as they are now sitting at the last spot of the NFC South with a 5-7 record. As they head back to Carolina, a must-win game lies ahead of them as they host the division rival Atlanta Falcons in Week 13 action.
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Carolina Panthers Week 12 Takeaways
4. The Panthers' defense got torched
Several weeks ago, the Panthers' defensive unit was seen as one of the best in the league, especially with the addition of 2019 DPOY Stephon Gilmore. Things aren't going well now as the team failed to limit a mediocre opponent for the second straight week after their recent encounter against the Washington Football Team.
Against the Panthers, Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa was spotless on the field, throwing for 230 yards on 27-of-31 passes to go with a passing touchdown. His running mate in wide receiver Jaylen Waddle also made a huge impact, notching 137 yards on nine catches and a TD for Miami.
The Panthers did a decent job holding the Dolphins' rushing attack to 2.8 yards per game, but running back Myles Gaskin was still able to score a pair of touchdowns on the ground. Carolina's defense was not on the top of its game in this one, though it was obviously put in a terrible position by a woeful offensive attack.
3. Christian McCaffrey's injury dealt a huge disadvantage
In the first half, the Panthers got to feed star running back Christian McCaffrey, who generated 35 yards on 10 carries. However, he eventually went down with an ankle injury and didn't get to return in the second half of the game.
After that, Carolina's backfield was paralyzed as the offense couldn't get any production from their other rushers. RBs Chubba Hubbard and Ameer Abdullah finished with meager outputs, concluded the game with only six and four rushing yards, respectively.
The Panthers could've had a more respectable game if McCaffrey didn't tweak his ankle. With the former Pro Bowler set to miss action once again, the other running backs must find a way to contribute and deliver once their numbers are called in the weeks to come.
2. The offensive line remains a major issue
Heading to the season, many thought that the team's offensive line would be the weak link for the team in 2021. The group saw a modest resurgence from Weeks 7 to 10, though they still struggled to get wins in that four-week span.
In Week 12 against the Dolphins, the cracks of the offensive line were seen once again as they failed to provide pass protection. The unit also played a part in the struggles of the ground game, which didn't get to have any rhythm after losing McCaffrey to the injury in the first half.
Out of the entire group, OT Taylor Moton has been the lone bright spot as he consistently puts up solid performances. He will definitely need more help from his offensive line mates in order for the team's offense to flow more smoothly in their coming games.
1. Cam Newton needs to bounce back after a sluggish performance
There was a lot of hype surrounding Cam Newton's return to Carolina. Unfortunately, things haven't been going all that well for the former NFL MVP, and he was absolutely awful against the Dolphins in Week 12.
Newton recorded two consecutive interceptions and finished with just 92 yards on 5-of-21 passing passing before getting benched for P.J. Walker. On Sunday, Newton threw a number of inaccurate passes and looked uncomfortable as he struggled to gain any rhythm in the pocket.
Carolina has now dropped consecutive games against less-than-stellar opponents with Newton back as the starter. Certainly enough, the blame can't be put entirely on the returning quarterback, because the offensive line and the backfield also have room for improvement on their end.
However, the bottom line is that Cam Newton needs to be better. Admittedly, his chemistry with his teammates is not yet at a desirable level, which is a major reason why the offense hasn't been flowing as it should be.
If he doesn't show up in the following weeks, the team's playoff hopes will go down the drain for the fourth consecutive season.
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