The Carolina Panthers fell apart in spectacular fashion after a shocking 30-0 win over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 3. It didn’t look that way in the beginning. Bryce Young and company got the ball first and took it 76 yards on just seven plays to open the scoring. That was the peak of the afternoon. Here is how the subsequent drives went:
The Panthers finally scored their second touchdown in garbage time with Andy Dalton leading the charge. Outside of the touchdown drives that bookended the game, the Panthers gained 159 yards and picked up 11 first downs on 45 plays. It was about as anemic as an offense can look, and it came against a Patriots defense that had been vulnerable in the first three weeks. The return of Christian Gonzalez, their best defender, certainly helped, but it was still an inexcusable showing for a unit that’s supposed to be okay at least.
Up next is a Miami Dolphins defense that ranks 32nd in the league in Defensive DVOA. They’re coming off a win over the New York Jets, but they allowed a toothless Jets offense to average over seven yards per play. This should be a bounce back for the offense. There are a few things that can make sure that happens.