Offense Panthers' Biggest Problem, but Defense Isn't Without Blemishes

The Carolina Panthers finished the 2013 season with an impressive 12-4 record, a first-round playoff bye and what appeared to be a very promising future.

We're 10 weeks into the 2014 season, and those visions of Carolina as a perennial contender seem like a distant memory.

Though Carolina is still technically in the NFC South divisional race (the entire group has been a disappointment), the team's 3-6-1 record doesn't inspire a lot of belief in any repeat postseason appearance.

The Panthers have won just once—in a Week 5 matchup with the struggling Chicago Bears—since jumping out to a 2-0 start at the beginning of the year. The team has lost its last two games by a combined 42 points. Four remaining division games give Panther fans a little reason for hope, but it appears Carolina is headed for its fifth losing season in six seasons. 

It is easy for onlookers to place much of the blame on quarterback Cam Newton, who has shown signs of regression as a signal-caller this season (career-low passer rating of 81.4). Newton, the polarizing, Superman-posing and supremely talented passer is, of course, an easy target. 

However, it is the regression of the Carolina defense that is truly responsible for this year's debacle.

	Pass Yds/Gm	Rush Yds/Gm	Total Yds/Gm	Points/Gm
2013	214.3	86.9	301.2	15.1
2014	254.4	122.4	376.8	28.1

A season ago, the Panthers ranked second in the NFL in points allowed with an average of just 15.1 per game. The 301.2 yards per game allowed by the Panthers were also second best in the entire league.

After Monday night's game against the Philadelphia Eagles, the Panthers are allowing an average of 28.1 points (29th in the NFL) and 376.8 yards (25th) per contest. That's an average of 13 more points and 75.6 yards per game more than what the Panthers allowed in 2013.

The Carolina defense appeared even worse on Monday night, allowing former New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez to pass for 332 yards in his first start since 2012. Another poor performance by Newton and the Panthers' makeshift offensive line (nine sacks, three interceptions) certainly didn't help matters as the Panthers dropped the game 45-21.

The biggest reason why Carolina's faulty defense is causing problems may be the fact that it is putting more pressure on Newton and the offense to carry the load.

Consider the fact that Carolina won five games a season ago while scoring 24 points or less. The team has help opponents to fewer than 24 points only three times this season, and the Panthers are 2-1 in those contests.

According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), the Panthers field the league's sixth-worst overall defense. The team is rated fifth-worst in pass coverage.

Missing pass-rusher Greg Hardy due to suspension and losing safety Mike Mitchell in the offseason (Roman Harper ranks 70th among safeties, per Pro Football Focus) has weakened the pass defense and opened things up for opposing passers. Defensive coordinator Sean McDermott has not yet found a way to adapt. 

The inability of the Carolina defense to keep opposing points off the board has frequently put the offense in must-pass situations. This has regularly created a recipe for disaster on the offensive side of the football, particularly for Newton.

Per Pro Football Focus, Newton is the fourth-most efficient quarterback when he has time to operate in the pocket, but he ranks just 24th when facing pressure. Passing situations lead to blitzing situations, which often lead to inconsistent performances from Newton like the one we saw on Monday night.

The season is anything but over for the Panthers, however. Carolina sits right behind the 4-5 New Orleans Saints in the NFC South and holds a 1-1 division record. If the Panthers can win all four of their remaining divisional games and beat either the Cleveland Browns or Minnesota Vikings, the team could finish with a (technically) winning 8-7-1 record.

That record may be good enough to win a division where no team is currently at .500, especially if the Panthers can knock off the Saints in their second head-to-head meeting. 

The problem is that in the remaining six-game stretch, the Panthers will play four games (including the Atlanta Falcons twice) against opponents who rank in the top half of the league in scoring. 

The bottom line is that the defense is costing the Panthers games instead of winning them as it did a season ago. If Carolina is going to have any chance at all at rebounding and fighting for a division title this season, the Panthers are going to have to find a way to coax better performances out of the defense.

If the defense continues playing like it has the past several weeks, not only will it cost the Panthers games, it could cost McDermott and head coach Ron Rivera their jobs.