It certainly would have been been a pleasant break from tradition for the Carolina Panthers to open their first game of the season with some high-flying action on offense and a brick wall of a defense. Unfortunately, fans were yet again subjected to another sloppy performance loaded with miscues and ‘almosts’ in Week One.
The lopsided score certainly tells one story, one that would lead any rational observer to believe that the Jacksonville Jaguars were far and away the better football team on Sunday
afternoon. On a second viewing, maybe even the third, after the sting of disappointment from losing and the boredom from a 75 minute rain delay have subsided, it’s fair to say the two teams are closer than the 16 point margin of victory would indicate.
Let me be clear: it was bad… really bad. But the eternal optimist in me can’t help but hold onto a group of plays that were just a hair away from being great, or at least one miscue away from not being an abject disaster leading to a tighter game. Let’s take a look at 7 plays from Sunday’s match-up that ended up being the turning points.
Play #1: 3rd down incompletion to Hunter Renfrow
The Panthers had matched the Jaguars 13 play, 6+ minute drive with one of their very own. A valiant attempt to knock off the rust of the offseason came down to a 3rd and 5 from the Jaguars 30. Left tackle Yosh Nijman takes an immediate loss in pass protection forcing Bryce Young to float one out to Hunter Renfrow that falls incomplete.
Put another way, the back-up left tackle gave up quick pressure, forcing Young to make an anticipatory throw off his back foot to the 3rd string slot receiver who is half a step out of his break up the field. While it would have been a tough catch for Renfrow, it was still a catchable ball. Arguments can be made that a defensive pass interference call is justified as the defender made early contact without turning their head to look for the ball. A better block, a better throw under pressure, a contested catch or even a flag thrown and maybe the Panthers are looking at an opportunity to go up 7-3.
Play #2: Young’s first interception
On 2nd and 1, it’s prime time to try and find a chunk play in the passing game. Head coach and play caller Dave Canales dialed up a play-action bootleg pass to do just that, but when Young released the ball he did not account for the safety who had already peeled off the vertical route by Brycen Tremayne and was flying downhill to beat Xavier Legette to his spot to break up the pass. A fortuitous bounce into the air and Jaguars linebacker Foyesade Oluokun completes the tip drill for the interception.
There’s not much more to say about this one, unfortunately. While the defensive had was a perfect counter to the Panthers play call, on 2nd and 1 in a tied ball game Young cannot put the ball in harm’s way. You’d also like to see your 6’1, 220 pound receiver not get bounced off his spot, but I digress. 8 plays later the Jaguars lead 10-3.
Play #3: Travis Etienne goes for 70
After a stalled drive, punter Sam Martin set the Panthers defense up well by pinning the Jaguars at their own 9 yard line. Any hopes to convert field position in a quick 3-and-out were dashed almost immediately as Travis Etienne broke through the offensive line and faced safety Nick Scott in the open field with nothing but grass beyond him. Scott put up next to no resistance and Etienne was off to the races until being tracked down 71 yards later.
While I’m happy that Nick Scott knows the defense, a schematic understanding of Ejiro Evero’s playbook didn’t do anyone any good as the chunk play pushed the team towards their 7th straight game of giving up 200 yards rushing. Etienne’s run was the number one “remarkable rush” of the season so far according to NFL’s Next Gen Stats after gaining 66 more yards above the ‘expected’ 5 yards.
Play #4: Xavier Legette can’t get his feet in
In the 2 minute drill after a 18 yard completion up the seam to Ja’Tavion Sanders, Young looks for Legette on a corner route deep down the right sideline. A perfectly placed ball hitting the receiver right in stride looks to have set-up Young and the Panthers offense with a 1st and 10 in the redzone.
Despite everything else going right on the play, Legette seemingly forgot a crucial step to completing the catch: getting two feet inbounds. Instead of dragging his right toe, Legette carries his stride straight towards the sideline and is immediately ruled a non-catch. Two plays later, disaster strikes.
Play #5: Another Young Turnover
3rd and 10, after Legette’s miscue on 1st down, with less than a minute to go in the first half. Down by 14 and needing some sort of momentum leading into halftime. With the ball on the 39 yard line, every yard makes a field goal for the team’s rookie kicker that much easier. Young drops back and decides to take it himself and scramble for the first. Oluokun, once again, is in position to make the play and does – punching the ball out of Young’s hands as he slips forward and left the ball vulnerable. Jaguars recover.
Frankly, if I had to choose one single gripe with Young’s NFL game that perplexes me the most, it is that he cannot execute to a quarterback slide to literally save his life. Okay, maybe not literally, but despite his well-discussed stature and taking some brutal hits from men carrying an excess of 100 lbs on him, he has not taken the time to learn the main maneuver passers around the league use to protect themselves. The turnover set up the Jaguars with good field position which they convert into another field goal of their own. A 6 point swing leading into halftime.
Play #6: Failed 4th Down on opening drive of second half
Down 17 points on the first drive of the 2nd half. A touchdown on this drive and it feels like a competitive ballgame again. Despite being set-up with a 2nd and 2, the Panthers find themselves with a 4th and 1 from the 5 yard line. Jaguars send a 4 man rush, but the offensive line still gives up instant pressure causing Young to roll left. Young’s pass ends up in the stands and his targeted receiver is still unknown.
Canales stated in his press conference that his understanding was Young was trying to find Legette at the back pylon, maybe that’s true. Sanders was also in the area. Some interpretations of the play design lay blame on a mental error on from McMillan as Legette would have been alone at the front pylon of the end zone had McMillan taken his defender out of the area immediately, instead of drifting up field. Whatever the reason, a lack of polish from the offensive line and receiving corps contributes once more to a mood killing blown opportunity.
Play #7: Deep pass down the middle to Tetairoa McMillan
When all hope seemed to be nearly lost, cornerback Jaycee Horn gives the Panthers life with a highlight reel worthy one-handed interception to give his squad the ball in Jaguars territory within the waning moments of the 3rd quarter. A handful of lackluster plays and a false start later has the Panthers going for broke on 4th and 5. Young gets the exact matchup he likes and even has a great pocket to get a clean throw off to McMillan running a deep post with a step on the defensive back. McMillan spears the ball with his left hand but can’t maintain the catch through contact. Turnover on downs, 7 point swing, game is all but over.
McMillan looked electric at times, even earlier in the play as he presented Young with the perfect target for a potential 33-yard touchdown to make it a 10 point game heading into the 4th quarter. Despite McMillan’s 6’4 frame having plenty of radius to spare to contort his body and bring both hands up to make the play on the ball, he chooses the flashier option where the defender immediately rakes his arm to break up the pass. Arguments are abound that the defender made early contact, but I’d rather not have to rely on the referee’s yellow laundry when the play was there to be made without their assistance.
Join me next week as we review the Panthers match-up versus the Arizona Cardinals where they will hopefully convert these opportunities instead of stacking up far too many momentum draining near misses.
