Week 15: Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down

A quick summary of what went right, what went wrong and what went off the rails during Carolina's 30-24 loss to Seattle.

THUMBS UP: Despite being eliminated from playoff consideration, having their longtime coach fired earlier this month and falling behind early, the Panthers showed grit on Sunday. Carolina trailed 30-10 with 7:18 remaining in the game, but kept grinding. The Panthers went on drives of 75 and 84 yards, respectively, during their next two drives to pull to within six points with 3:14 to play. Carolina had Seattle facing two third-down situations on the game's final drive -- including a 3rd and 11 -- but the Seahawks managed to convert into first downs to secure the win. 

THUMBS DOWN: Carolina's run defense was again a serious weakness, allowing Seattle to rush for 154 yards on 34 carries. But it wasn't the home run plays that did in the Panthers -- the Seahawks averaged 4.5 a carry, less than the 5.2 yards an attempt that Carolina was allowing -- and Seattle's longest run was a 23-yarder by Chris Carson. Instead it was the Seahawks' ability to get what it needed when it needed it -- a four-yard burst here, a six-yard run there, etc. -- that stymied Carolina.

THUMBS UP: Give it up for Joey Slye. Less than a month removed from missing two PATs as well as a 28-yard field goal that would've given Carolina the lead with 1:56 remaining at New Orleans, he's recovered and consistent. Slye made all three of his extra-point attempts against the Seahawks as well as a 52-yard field goal -- his seventh kick of at least 50 yards this season (a team record). Since that loss to the Saints, Slye is 8 for 8 on PATs and has made each of his three field-goal attempts

THUMBS DOWN: During Carolina's current six-game losing streak, quarterback Kyle Allen has thrown 11 interceptions and has been sacked 25 times. He was 25 of 41 for 277 yards and a touchdown against the Seahawks while being sacked only once, but he tossed three interceptions and had a quarterback rating of 26.1.

THUMBS UP: The offensive playcalling was a bit more creative under new offensive coordinator Scott Turner. Reverses, jet sweeps, direct snaps -- all things that rarely appeared under Norv Turner. Especially noticeable is the way the younger Turner is trying to get Curtis Samuel more involved with the offense, occasionally putting the former college running back in the backfield. Samuel had four carries for 23 yards while catching five passes for 31 yards and a touchdown.

THUMBS DOWN: In addition to being soft against the run, Carolina's defense hasn't been manufacturing turnovers of late -- or at least not enough to offset the offense's miscues. During the recent six-game losing streak, the Panthers have turned the football over 16 times while fetching only two turnovers. 

HE SAID IT: “Turnovers suck.”

                                                -- Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey