Lea: Panthers 'treat' fans to win after committing to the run on Halloween
Posted October 31, 2021 4:13 p.m. EDT
Updated November 1, 2021 6:41 p.m. EDT
The last four weeks have been 'spooky' for the Carolina Panthers. The first three weeks of the season, this team may have 'tricked' us all into thinking they're one of the top teams in the NFC. Now, on Halloween against NFC South Division foes the Atlanta Falcons, Panthers fans were looking for a much needed 'treat' in the form of a win.
After the Minnesota Vikings game, head coach Matt Rhule stressed how much the team needed to stick with the run, which they followed up with only 17 rushing attempts at the New York Giants. This week, the message was received: RUN THE BALL.
Rhule's crew snapped a 4-game losing streak winning 19-13 because of their commitment to the run.
The team finished the game with 203 yards on 47 carries, a stark contrast from the 17 carry performance against the New York Giants last week. Those carries, along with the great running by committee from Chuba Hubbard, Royce Freeman and the new addition Ameer Abdullah helped the Panthers control the pace of the game, possessing the ball for over 35 minutes.
The only bad play of the day came when Chuba Hubbard fumbled the ball away on the very first play of the game. But the next drive for the Panthers was almost the ideal drive for a struggling team that's searching for it's run identity without Christian McCaffrey. The Panthers ran it nine times in 15 plays.
Sam Darnold is clearly a better quarterback and game manager when the running game is working. This is what the Panthers will need to do moving forward if they are going to sniff the playoffs. Darnold will not throw his way into the playoffs, but has shown he can 'manage' the heck out of a game when the running game is going.
If Christian McCaffrey will return soon, the Panthers surely won't keep three other runningbacks on the roster, but hopefully they'll still use a 'rush by committee' approach.
Abdullah, has shown he has burst and can receive the ball out of the backfield and could be used alongside CMC upon his return. Hubbard is getting better running through the tackles which would leave Royce Freeman as the odd man out.
But that's the future. Right now, the Panthers have an opportunity to learn from themselves. The run game works especially when you don't have a quarterback that is an elite passer. Darnold left the game with a concussion in the 4th quarter, but he's shown he can manage a game he doesn't have to drop back pass in 35 plus times.
