Initial Reactions to Panthers Week Six Loss Against Bears
The Carolina Panthers and the Chicago Bears entered the week six matchup vying to keep pace in their respective divisions. Both teams are centered around running the football and playing sound defense so it was expected to be an even game. While both teams struggled on offense early, Chicago was able to make the most out of their opportunities. Carolina made too many mistakes to overcome the elite Bears defense. The Panthers struggled in all three phases of the game, ending their three-game win streak by a final of 23-16.
Here are our initial reactions to the conclusion of the week six Panthers loss:
Panthers' offense struggles stretching the field
The Bears have an exceptional defense. They have two shutdown corners and a defensive line that applies constant pressure. They proved that the way to beat Carolina is to stop Mike Davis and the running game. Their zone scheme made quarterback Teddy Bridgewater throw the ball deep down the field, something he is not always comfortable doing. The Panthers have gotten off to early leads during their three-game winning streak. This was not the case against Chicago. Forcing Bridgewater into a situation where he has to put the team on his back is not something that Carolina can get used to doing if they want to make a run at the playoffs this season.
Panthers need to limit turnovers
As mentioned above, the Carolina offense is not built to play from behind. Turnovers were a big reason why this team fell behind early and couldn't recover. Bridgewater threw a pick early on and Mike Davis lost a fumble. Teddy threw another pick on the last drive of the game for a total of three Carolina turnovers. That is way too many for a team that does not have the personnel to come from behind and win games. The good news for the Panthers is that they will not always be matched up against such a dominant defense. Still, Bridgewater and the Carolina offense have to do a better job at taking care of the football.
Panthers defense continues to impress
To end off on a positive note, the Panthers defense played well. They limited Bears' quarterback Nick Foles to under 200 yards through the air and forced an interception. They also really tightened up their run defense giving up just 58 rushing yards to running back David Montgomery. Head coach Matt Rhule and defensive coordinator Phil Snow have this young defensive unit headed in the right direction. There is still a lot to be optimistic about in Carolina despite the week six loss.
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