Yellow flags, sure (6-66), but call me crazy, but I didn’t see red flags in the Panthers’ loss to the Falcons on Sunday. Yeah, there were some bumps, bruises, and a loss, but it wasn’t like the Panthers were blown out or didn’t show any sides of life on either side of the ball. Despite the throwaways, pedestrian passing numbers, and Young’s two interceptions with a completion percentage of 52%, Sunday’s performance wasn’t all bad. They ran the ball effectively. Young showed early moments of precision and poise. The worst part of this game is that it was a squandered victory more than a direct defeat. To invoke the old words of Ron Rivera, the game “came down to two or three plays.” Three turnovers, a failed early 4th down conversion, and two missed deep balls really turned out to be the difference between a win and a loss.

Now, before you freak out and say this is just a bunch of excuses, know that the Panthers didn’t play great on any side of the ball. The offense didn’t have big plays. The defense had trouble stopping the run, and special teams didn’t play well, particularly Ihmir Smith-Marsette's ridiculously dumb punt return that had him running towards the wrong endzone. That play ended with yellow flags, but I don’t think the game ended with red flags. In fact, I believe there are some things to be heartened by this performance.

Offensive Line Bounce Back

The preseason wasn’t good for the Panthers offensive line, leaving fans questioning if what was a strength last year would be a weakness this year. They held up for the most part. Young had time to make plays, and the Panthers put up 140 yds rushing. Atlanta only sacked Young twice.

Burns and Brown are Beasts

Brian Burns was a force to be reckoned with early in this game. He had 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble in the first two series. Known for more as a run-stuffer, Derrick Brown had a sack and two tackles for loss. Luvu would also throw his hat in the mist with three tackles for loss.

Despite two interceptions, Young had promising moments.

The Panthers moved the ball down the field efficiently in the first half for the most part. Young was 5-5 on his first drive that stalled with a failed 4th-down run up the gut by Chubba Hubbard. Young’s second drive ended prematurely with his first interception, but he would respond with a 6-6 75-yd drive that ended with a touchdown strike to Hayden Hurst. Young missed two deep ball attempts, one an overthrow to Mingo and another that looked like it would have been a nice connection to Terrace Marshall, Jr., had he not seemingly pulled up in his route. Overall, Young looked capable. Sure, he was far from perfect, and some would even say not good, but he wasn’t bad. The near-identical interceptions hurt and were inconsistent with what are believed to be Young’s strengths. Young didn’t shrink in the moment, even when he ran into adversity. He may not have directly overcome that adversity with immediate success, but I don’t see blatant red flags that should make fans nervous or even consider buyer’s remorse.

Should Panthers fans be disappointed with this performance? It would be odd if they weren’t, but I wouldn’t be downtrodden either. Every season will be challenging despite how strong a team is. This season will be no different, and the challenges aren’t few either. This season, a rookie quarterback, a new coaching staff, and a new defensive scheme are major challenges facing the Panthers. The disappointing aspect of this loss is that it seems that the Panthers beat themselves more than being beaten by the Falcons. If the Panthers are going to have a good season, it certainly won’t come easy. They will have to scratch, claw, and fight to a respectable record this year. Knowing that is what makes this loss tough. Well, that and the fact that the loss came to a hated division rival in Atlanta. This was a winnable game that the Panthers squandered away. That isn’t very pleasant, but it's not a red flag.

By Tony Dunn

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