The Carolina Panthers dropped a tough one yesterday, 21-26, to the Denver Broncos, but it was how they lost that had everyone talking. Bryce Young wasn’t wrong when he said postgame, “We should never be relying on Refs, or calls, or anything like that. It’s on us to go leave no doubt.” Because doubt was all that was left on the field after a brutal 13 penalties for 119 yards, a whopping 69-yard differential against the Panthers, and a controversial, replay-assisted turnover in the end zone effectively stole the game.
A Record for Denver, a Reality Check for Carolina
This loss wasn’t just another game for Denver, though. The Broncos actually set an NFL record, winning their 16th consecutive one-score game. Yeah, sixteen straight! But if you were a Broncos fan, you probably shouldn’t be high-fiving anyone after beating a team that, at several important positions, has seen its roster assembled over just the past couple of weeks. The Panthers have been hammered by injuries, plain and simple, showing up as the most injured team on any field they’ve played this season. Folks might point out their only wins are against the Cooper Rush Falcons, the Tanner McKee Eagles, and a legitimately good Detroit Lions squad. But let’s be real, if the most important ability is availability, then the Panthers have been far from the most able team on their own schedule. This team is banged up.
Bryce Young’s Battle: Elite Arm, Broken Protection
Panthers quarterback Bryce Young is out there doing everything he can, having a career year statistically. He is a top ten passer in the NFL, sitting fourth in yards per game and tied seventh for touchdown passes. Those are legit numbers! But here’s the kicker: he is also taking the fourth most sacks in the league and often shows up as the most pressured quarterback in weekly advanced metrics. What’s the deal? His offensive line has been straight-up awful in pass protection all season. Left tackle Rasheed Walker and center Luke Fortner, two free agency busts, have both led the league at various points this season in pressures allowed at their positions. Right guard Robert Hunt, who has also been on those lists, clearly isn’t back to form after tearing his bicep last season. Add to that the nagging injuries for left guard Damien Lewis, the almost total absences of right tackle Taylor Moton, left tackle Ikem Ekwonu, and do-it-all lineman Brady Christensen, plus the rookie learning curve for tackle Monroe Freeling. It’s no wonder this unit, which happens to be the most expensive offensive line in the league, is struggling so much.
The Panthers have a mountain to climb, especially getting healthy, if they want to turn this season around. For us here in the Emerald City, though, yesterday felt a whole lot better. Our Seattle Seahawks delivered a dominant 17-3 victory over the Arizona Cardinals at home! That’s the kind of result we love to see!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Cat Scratch Reader.
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