As ugly as things became Sunday for Dave Canales and the Carolina Panthers in Tampa, it could have been even worse.
If not for Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles showing Canales, his former colleague, some mercy around the holidays, the Panthers would have flown home to Charlotte having given up the most points in team history.
Instead, the Panthers will limp into the final week of the season on the heels of a 48-14 loss that was merely one of the worst losses in the franchise’s 30 years.
Baker Mayfield, among the quarterbacks who have had huge success after leaving Carolina, tossed a career-high five touchdown passes to keep the Bucs (9-7) in the hunt for their fifth consecutive NFC South title and remind the Panthers (4-12) the gap in the division remains wide.
“We got our work cut out for us,” Canales said. “We’ve got a long way to go from a progress standpoint.”
While Bryce Young’s progression has been on the upswing over the last two months, the Panthers need to address the defense in a big way this offseason to help their second-year quarterback.
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Bucs rout Panthers 48-14 to stay in playoff hunt: Key takeaways
The Panthers have now given up 496 points on the season, the most in franchise history. Only six NFL teams have allowed 500-plus points in NFL history. The Panthers will join that dubious group next weekend at Atlanta, raising real questions about defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero’s future in Charlotte.
Panthers owner David Tepper refused to let Evero out of his contract last offseason when he had other defensive coordinator opportunities. But after Canales inherited an entire defensive staff that he had no previous ties with, it’s a safe bet Tepper will demand change this offseason.
But Canales said Sunday the defense doesn’t deserve all the blame.
“It’s all of us. And I know that we’ve given up a lot of yards and points. I understand that,” he said. “But when you go 22 percent (2 of 9) on third down offensively and they make it hard like that, we’re off the field. The defense has to go right back out there against a really good offensive attack.
“So it’s about opportunity. We gave them so many opportunities to continue to build off their momentum (with) the things they were doing. So it’s all of us.”
After Young led the Panthers to an opening-drive touchdown, an offense missing 1,100-yard rusher Chuba Hubbard quickly began to bog down. The Panthers went three-and-out on their next two series as Canales called six consecutive pass plays, which resulted in four incompletions, a Young scramble and a sack.
The empty possessions helped lead to the Panthers possessing the ball for just 18 minutes and 49 seconds, the lowest time of possession total in their history. Carolina ran for just 39 yards without Hubbard and Young completed 15-of-28 passes for 203 yards with a pair of TD throws to Adam Thielen.
That was not a formula for success against the Bucs, who were wearing out the grass at Raymond James Stadium by going up and down the field in the first half. Tampa Bay scored on its first five possessions before the Panthers finally forced a punt before halftime.
Tampa Bay’s 337 first-half yards were the most by a Carolina opponent since the New Orleans Saints racked up 360 in the first half of their 45-17 win in the 2011 finale at the Superdome. During the CBS halftime show, former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher scoffed at the notion that the Panthers need to get Young another receiver.
“How about getting some defensive players?” Cowher said.
And while Xavier Legette looks less and less like a No. 1 receiver each week, Cowher had a point. This defense needs a talent infusion, be it via free agency or something approaching Marty Hurney’s all-defensive draft in 2020.
Depending on what the NFL’s other bottom-dwellers do in Week 18, the Panthers could nudge their way into the top 5 of the draft. They probably won’t be high enough to snatch two-way star Travis Hunter, they should have a shot at Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter or Michigan defensive lineman Mason Graham.
Mike Evans pulls in his second TD reception of the game Sunday over Caleb Farley. (Nathan Ray Seebeck / Imagn Images)
But there are many other needs on this defense, which played without cornerback Jaycee Horn (hip) and linebacker Josey Jewell (concussion) — two of the Panthers’ tougher and more dependable defenders. Horn’s absence left former first-rounder Caleb Farley matched up twice at the goal line against Mike Evans, with a predictable result.
Throw in the Bucs’ blocked punt for a touchdown and the Panthers were threatening to allow the most points in a game in their history. But with the Bucs up by 34, Bowles pulled Mayfield, Evans and Bucky Irving, who ran for 113 yards on 20 carries after going for 152 in Tampa Bay’s 26-23 overtime win at Bank of America Stadium on Dec. 1. Mayfield narrowly missed finishing with a perfect passer rating for the second time in his career. He’ll have to settle for a 153.0 rating that was the second highest of his career.
After the Bucs’ backups drove to the Panthers’ 15 at the two-minute warning, No. 2 quarterback Kyle Trask took a knee three times — one of the few times the Bucs were stopped all day.
Even still, Tampa Bay rolled up a ridiculous 551 yards and 33 first downs, which matched the aforementioned Saints game for the most allowed in Panthers history.
“We weren’t good today, just point blank, period in all aspects — running and passing,” safety Xavier Woods said. “Just coming out here today and just being flat from the snap — from the first quarter to the fourth quarter — we didn’t give ourselves a chance.”
Evero, the former Broncos’ defensive coordinator, remains well respected in league circles. It could be that both sides would benefit from a mutual parting of ways.
But first, the Panthers must make the short flight to Atlanta, where they presumably won’t be treated as rudely by rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. as they were by Mayfield. But the way this season has gone defensively, nothing is certain.
“This is a move-forward league. Still evaluating guys. I feel like even myself is being evaluated, how they finish the season,” veteran edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney said. “Got one week left. Still gotta go out here and play. They’re paying us to play a game. And not just play, try to win it. That’s what I’m gonna do.”
(Top photo of Jalen McMillan: Nathan Ray Seebeck / Imagn Images)
