Adjustments Panthers Defense Needs as Carolina Prepares for Ravens, Steve Smith

Steve Smith's return to Carolina will receive all the attention, but the Panthers have bigger concerns.

The Panthers need to rectify a defense which surrendered 37 points and 454 yards to the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday night.

Panther head coach Ron Rivera described the performance as "uncharacteristic" and identified the areas in which his defense needs to improve this weekend, via The Charlotte Observer: 

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The biggest thing, a couple of times we got knocked out of our creases and allowed the double teams to work. When that happens, you've got to do one of two things: hold your point a little bit better, or stay in your crease as a D-lineman. And as a linebacker, when you see that, you've got to get downhill now. And we just didn't do that very well.

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It starts with gap integrity against the run. A gap is the area between blockers. The area between the center and guard, for example, is the A-gap. The B-gap is between the guard and tackle. And the C-gap is outside the offensive tackle or between the offensive tackle and tight end.

Each defensive lineman and linebacker is designated a gap or two to defend during each and every play. The Panthers had trouble maintaining gap integrity throughout the evening and were gashed for a pair of long runs. 

The biggest play of the game came in the third quarter as the Panthers trailed 16-6 with 5:20 remaining in the frame. The Panthers pinned the Steelers on their 8-yard line. 

On 2nd-and-22, Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell ripped off an 81-yard run, which set up the touchdown that proved to be too much for the Panthers to overcome. 

Bell's run was as much of a result caused by Panthers mistakes as it was good blocking. 

Below is a look at the Panthers alignment as the ball was snapped. It's a simple over front, which is a base front in every 4-3 defensive scheme. 

NFL Game Rewind

The problem began with the defensive tackles. 

Star Lotulelei (left) lined up in the B-gap to the strong side, while Kawann Short (right) was tasked with the weak-side A-gap. Both were double-teamed off the snap and driven back to the second level. 

The inability of the defensive tackles to hold their ground presented a dilemma for weak-side linebacker Thomas Davis. 

NFL Game Rewind

Middle linebacker Luke Kuechly read his keys. Since the guard fired out and the offensive tackle blocked down, Kuechly scraped over the top of the defensive linemen to take care of the front-side hole. But Davis was caught in limbo on the backside. 

With Short being driven into him, Thomas had a decision to make. He either needed to scrape to the strong-side A-gap or protect the backside cut. The veteran linebacker picked the backside cut and chose incorrectly. 

The result was a chasm for Bell to run through with the Panthers secondary out of position to get an angle on the running back as he rumbled all the way down field. 

Everything the Panthers did wrong on this play started up front. 

The defensive tackles had to take on the initial double-teams with more leverage and not be driven backwards. The linebackers, meanwhile, had to be on the same page and make the right reads. 

Neither occurred and the Panthers' vaunted defense was gashed. It wasn't the only time it happened. 

The Panthers trailed 30-13 with 6:58 seconds remaining in the contest. This time Steelers backup running back LeGarrette Blount provided the damage. 

Carolina's pre-snap gap responsibilities for Blount's run are shown below. 

NFL Game Rewind

This play developed differently than the one previously discussed. 

The offensive linemen didn't fire straight out to block the interior defenders. Instead, the play was a simple inside zone. All of the offensive linemen stepped to their right with the intention of running the defenders laterally to create multiples seams and running lanes from which Blount could choose. 

NFL Game Remind

Due to the defensive linemen's inability to get upfield and disrupt the play or prevent the offensive linemen from getting to the second level and blocking the linebackers, Blount had his choice of running lanes once he pressed the hole. 

NFL Game Rewind

While in the hole, Blount could have gone in three directions after his initial cut. The running back didn't have to make a second cut. He could have simply run behind his tight end. After all, the backside defensive end was scooped by Steelers tight end Heath Miller. But Panthers safety Roman Harper was roaming just over the top.

If Blount chose the second option by going straight ahead, he likely would have met the scraping linebacker trying to get off his block.

Blount decided to bend the run all the way back to the third option, since all three blockers to the right side had run their assignments laterally out of the play. 

The second example given is extremely important because the Baltimore Ravens offense relies heavily on a zone-blocking scheme. 

The Panthers defensive linemen can't allow the Ravens to run them laterally down the line of scrimmage. This is playing to the strength of the zone-blocking scheme. Carolina's defensive linemen must be able to keep their shoulders square to the line of scrimmage, drive the blockers back and not lose their gap integrity. Only then will the Panthers slow a Ravens rushing attack that is currently ranked eighth overall and coming off its best effort with 160 yards against the Cleveland Browns. 

Carolina's first priority will be to get good run fits against the Ravens. The defense will then have to worry about Smith. 

In this first year with the Ravens, the Panthers' all-time leading receiver is currently seventh overall in the NFL with 290 receiving yards. He's also averaging 16.1 yards per catch. And when the game is on the line, Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco will be looking for Smith. 

Last week, the Ravens trailed the Browns 21-20 with 1:58 to play. The Ravens needed 10 to 12 yards to get into field goal position. 

Instead, Flacco found Smith down the sideline for a 32-yard gain. 

NFL Game Rewind

Even at 35 years old, Smith was spry enough to beat a talented cornerback like the Browns' Joe Haden off the line of scrimmage, outrace him down the sideline and still make the catch with safety Donte Whitner bearing down on him. 

This is problematic for the Panthers. Smith isn't merely a distraction all week. The veteran wide receiver is a legitimate matchup problem for Carolina. 

As a result, the Panthers won't be able to commit a safety to help defend against the Ravens rushing attack. Either Thomas DeCoud or Roman Harper will have an eye on Smith at all times. It will be up to the Panthers front seven to win individual battles and not lose at the point of attack like they did against the Steelers. 

Baltimore is a difficult matchup for Carolina. A return to fundamentals is what's required from the Panthers if they hope to win Sunday on the road. 

Brent Sobleski covers the NFC South for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter.