Monday Morning Thoughts: What Just Happened?

Yes, I've had a few hours to let what took place inside Bank of America Stadium on Sunday sink in, but I remain baffled.

How is that an offense that had struggled all season long to move the ball, stay on the field, and score points rush for 173 yards, average 6.9 yards per play, and amass 343 yards of total offense just three days after trading away Christian McCaffrey? You know, the guy that Ben McAdoo's offense ran through?

Honestly, I have no idea. Which is just one of the many reasons why I titled this "What Just Happened?" Part of me believes that moving on from McCaffrey forced McAdoo to get more creative with how he called things and it enabled him to have a more balanced approach rather than trying to do everything through one guy.

D'Onta Foreman had himself a hell of a game with two explosive rushes netting 60 and 27 yards. He finished the day with 118 yards on 15 carries, averaging 7.9 yards per carry.

"He ran the ball hard today," Panthers center Bradley Bozeman said. "The guy really put in the work this week. Did the things he needed to do to be able to come in and do the things he did. He had a great day today. He pressed the holes, made his cutbacks when he needed to. He did everything the right way today. It's just a product of his work ethic and what he does."

This league is all about opportunities and when you get yours, you have to make the most of it. Last year, Foreman filled in for the injured Derrick Henry in Tennessee and the Titans' offense didn't skip a beat as he eclipsed the 100-yard mark three times (vs Miami, at Pittsburgh, and at New England). That stretch of games showed to the rest of the NFL, and the Carolina Panthers in particular, that he's more than capable of being a lead back. And maybe that's partially why the Panthers felt like now was a good time to move McCaffrey.

And no, I'm not attempting to downplay the loss of McCaffrey by any means. He's a special player and arguably one of the best offensive players in the game. But we all know the lifespan of running backs in the NFL - it's short. With all the injuries he's endured over the past two seasons, it starts to make you wonder how much longer he'll continue to play at the level he's capable of.

What's most impressive about this game is that the Panthers had no business winning it. Nothing was in their favor. They were playing a ticked off Tampa Bay team led by Tom Brady while stumbling in with a passing game that had completed one pass beyond the line of scrimmage just seven days prior. The chaos that has surrounded this team from Matt Rhule getting fired to Robbie Anderson and Christian McCaffrey getting traded to rumors of other players potentially being traded could have easily hindered their performance on Sunday. Instead, they overcame all of the adversity, blocked out all of the noise, and moved to within a game out of first place of the NFC South.

"I’m extremely proud of the men in that room. I just told them that they continue to impress me by the way they just overcome adversity," interim head coach Steve Wilks said. "Circle the wagons and come together. That definitely wasn’t a team out there today that was trying to tank it. These guys right here have come together. They believe in one another and it’s about trying to win football games. I’m excited about the win today. It’s a lot we can build on. We are going to get back in here tomorrow, watch the tape, continue to build on the things that we did well. Correct the things that we need to correct, and see if we can try and go on the road and get another divisional win."

If we learned anything from Sunday's game, it's that this team isn't going to follow through with the idea of tanking for a top draft pick. And why would any team? These players and coaches aren't guaranteed to be a part of the team's future. They're playing for their teammates and what they put on tape will be seen by all 32 teams across the league.

Can Carolina actually turn this season around and fight for a playoff spot? I'm not willing to bet on it, but hey, crazier things have happened. One thing is certain, Steve Wilks has the respect and trust of the locker room and they'll play hard for him every single week regardless of the circumstances.

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