Carolina Panthers First and Ten

Following each Panthers’ game this season we’re going to reset the chains and line it up on first and ten. This will include ten things that I thing are either interesting, cool, notable, important, or anything else that comes to my mind that is Panthers’ related. It may also include things that other people care about, and are making a big deal about, that I want to pour some cold water on. Let’s get after it.

2. Wait, that should say 1. False start.

1. The false starts (and penalties as a whole) are a capital P Problem

Frank Reich used the word "pathetic" when discussing the number of penalties on the offense. He then took the blame as an offensive coach. The team practiced with loud noise on Wednesday, but it didn't matter when the 12th man's full-throated voices descended onto Lumen Field. Through three weeks, Carolina has been penalized 28 times. The most in the league. The eight pre-snap penalties on Sunday were enough for the Seahawks social media team to create a compilation video.

Did we REALLY make a false start video?

Of course we did. This one is for YOU, @12s. pic.twitter.com/JU6bIRnQjf
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) September 25, 2023

2. The offensive line is a work in progress

2022 was an anomaly. Since the 2015 NFC Championship game, offensive line woes have plagued the Panthers. The continuity of the five starters and their dominance in the run game towards the end of last season may have been a fluke.

Through three games, PFF has charted 60 pressures allowed by the Panthers linemen. That would put them on pace for 340 allowed in the season. The most PFF has ever charted in a full season is 297.

Missing two starters from last year on the interior (Corbett and Christensen) has led to a musical chair situation up front that cannot be overcome. Take a look at the PFF grades from Sunday and make your own conclusions. This whole section could be summed up in this one picture.

3. Shoutout Andy Dalton

It's incredibly difficult to start an NFL game on short notice at any position, let alone quarterback. Andy Dalton stepped in on Sunday and performed admirably in adverse circumstances. The offensive line performance (detailed above) was sub-par. The weapons (detailed in past iteration of first and ten) struggle to separate. The 12th man was rocking.

Dalton's 58 attempts was a career high. His 34 completions were one off a career high. His 361 yards were a top ten total in his career. Just a gutty performance from a consummate professional.

4. Also shoutout Adam Thielen

The haters were putting Adam Thielen on washed watch, and he had a message for those haters on Sunday. The veteran wide out hauled in 11 catches for 145 yards (the fourth most in his career) and a touchdown.

Adam Thielen today 145 YDS 1 TD 🥵pic.twitter.com/STa1LP3POU
— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) September 24, 2023

Going up and making that grab while getting crushed down three scores in the fourth quarter is commendable.

5. Tre Boston offers his services

The list of injuries on defense is comical at this point. Xavier Woods, CJ Henderson, Jaycee Horn, Shaq Thompson, Frankie Luvu, Marquise Haynes. For those counting, that's five starters and a key depth piece. Former Tar Heel and Panther Tre Boston wants to rock that #33 one more time.

👀👀👀 Y’all need me? FAST: Home Rescue M-F / Ballin on Sundays? 😁✊🏾#KeepPounding
— Tre Boston (@TreBos10) September 24, 2023

6. It's only three weeks, but playoff chances are slim

Since 1990, only 4 of 158 teams that started 0-3 have made the playoffs (2.5%).

Head coach Frank Reich will repeat until he's blue in the face that he coached a team that started 1-5 and won a playoff game, but the odds really are stacked against the Panthers. The good news? After the Buccaneers fell to the Eagles last night, the entire NFC South lost this week so Carolina didn't lose any ground in their division. The bad news? They're already 0-2 against divisional opponents, they're 0-3 overall, and the hole that they've dug themselves is already Mariana Trench deep.

7. Zach Charbonnet put Sam Franklin on his highlight reel

Zach Charbonnet sent the defender to another city 😡 @KyleBrandt pic.twitter.com/YAuLENwOSb
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) September 24, 2023

Monday Night Countdown used to have a segment called "Jacked Up" where they'd show the hardest hits on the defensive side of the ball from the day before. Now that the NFL is (rightfully) trying to take massive, blindside hits out of the game, big-hitting highlights on the defensive side of the ball are rare.

In my opinion, the plays on the offensive side where a running back or receiver trucks, stiff arms, or sons a defender always play. Especially with big defensive hits being eliminated. Sam Franklin is a good dude and a solid player, but this hit will be replayed multiple times in meeting rooms in both Seattle and Charlotte.

8. Carolina's defense plays with a handicap

Bold strategy by the Panthers to only have 10 guys on the field pic.twitter.com/wVMhg4Drkn
— Dugar, Michael-Shawn (@MikeDugar) September 26, 2023

Woof.

9. Other Panthers' head coaching candidates have their teams playing some ball

Steve Wilks is coordinating an elite defense in San Francisco.

Ben Johnson is coordinating an exciting offense in Detroit.

Shane Steichen is head coaching a Colts team that is playing way above their talent level and winning the AFC South at 2-1.

Kellen Moore is coordinating an offense that is top five in EPA/play.

Carolina didn't even interview DeMeco Ryans, and his Texans just went on the road and won against everyone's darling, the Jacksonville Jaguars.

I was (and still am) pro Frank Reich in Carolina. There is also copious amounts of context for each of these situations that can't be summated in this first and ten blurb. However, the Reich era is off to a rocky start and other coaches have their teams punching well above their weight. Just something to note.

10. Someone on Sunday will walk out of Bank of America Stadium with their first win

Carolina has lost back-to-back games against the Vikings. Their last win was in 2017 where Cam Newton had one of the best runs of his career. If you watch one video I've linked here, make this the one.

Cam Newton nearly to the house. 62-yard run to the #Vikings 6 to set up Stewart dive over the top to give #Panthers 31-24 lead with 1:47 left in the game. pic.twitter.com/rT8haaE3B5
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) December 10, 2017

The Vikings are 0-3 and desperate to win their first game of 2023. Carolina is in the same boat. One team on Sunday will begin to turn the tide of their season. The other will dig the hole they've started even deeper. This is a big one, folks. Strap in.