The Carolina Panthers remain the only winless team in the NFL, sitting at 0-5 heading into a Week 6 showdown with the Miami Dolphins.
Frank Reich, the head coach, plans to turn things around by simplifying everything.
“He stated, ‘Any coach will tell you, when you’re 0-5, the solution isn’t to do more, it’s to do less. This is a lesson from every coach in NFL history. Whether the team is 0-5, 0-3, or 0-4, the advice is to do less. Does this suggest you may have given him too much to handle? Perhaps, but that’s not certain. What I do know is that we need to improve.'”
Reich experienced some shaky beginnings during his five-year tenure as head coach in Indianapolis. However, 2023 signifies the first time he commences a season with a 0-5 record.
Thus far, everything has gone wrong for the Panthers.
Through five games, the Panthers have a -53 point margin and an average of 18.2 points per game. These are the worst statistics for a Carolina team since 2010, when they finished the season with a 2-14 record.
The offense with Bryce Young has been an amalgam of short throws, inconsistent play from the offensive line and a lack of running game to aid the young quarterback.
The No. 1 overall pick has had a tough time in his first four games. Though there have been glimpses of potential, the rookie has yet to deliver a full-fledged performance. Young has achieved 750 yards, five passing touchdowns, and four interceptions. His standing in the NFL is currently in the bottom five for pass YPG (187.5, ranking 29th), passing yards per attempt (5.2, ranking last), and passer rating (77.0, ranking 29th).
The formula for Carolina to secure a win with a rookie quarterback as the season began was to play robust defense, rely on the ground game, and allow Young to develop.
The plan encountered a problem right from the start.
The Panthers’ ground game has faced significant challenges, and their defense, although reliable against passing, has issues consistently pressuring the quarterback, ranking them 29th in the league with 50 QB pressures. They have also been vulnerable to running attacks, conceding 140.8 rushing yards per game, which makes them tied for the seventh highest. Additionally, they have surrendered nine rushing touchdowns, tying them for the most in the league.
Reich thinks that making the entire operation more straightforward, from start to finish, will assist the Panthers in achieving a victory.
“As coaches, that’s our job,” he stated. “It’s not just for the quarterback, but for the entire team. We implement this on offense, defense, and special teams. It’s all about simplifying the game. We focus on the basics and allow the players to play at their fastest. Sometimes, it’s necessary to do this, and often, it’s the solution. It can help get you back on track and restore rhythm in the game.”
The Panthers need to speed up their game on Sunday against the incredibly fast Dolphins, otherwise they risk being completely outplayed.
