Carolina Panthers continue free fall in NFC South

The NFC South has another runaway first place team this season. Except it is not the Atlanta Falcons, who ran away with the division last season, this season the New Orleans Saints have started out 5-0. They lead the 1-3 Falcons and Carolina Panthers by three games and the 0-4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers by 4½.

However, one of the biggest disappointments this season has been the play of the Carolina Panthers. This past Sunday their starting quarterback Cam Newton recorded more tackles than he had touchdown passes. That is right; he tackled two players after Carolina turnovers and did not throw a touchdown the entire game. That is just a classic example of how the Carolina loss to the Arizona Cardinals 22-6 and their entire season has gone thus far.

In their game on Sunday, it was the second time the Panthers have not scored 10 or more points in a game. They lost in the first week of the season to Seattle 12-7. Sunday the team did not even record a touchdown against the Cardinals.

Carolina is averaging just 18.5 points a game. However, if you take out their 38-0 rout against the New York Giants then the Panthers are averaging 12 points per game in their other three games.

The offense is in complete disarray and Newton will be on the receiving end of most of the criticism this week following their beat down at the hands of the Cardinals.

Newton did have 308 yards passing Sunday, but that is misleading. He also threw for three interceptions, fumbled once, was downed for a safety after not getting rid of the ball and made erratic decisions.

He had 300 yards passing but his rating was 47.8 the third worst of his short career. Carolina is 0-8 when Newton has two interceptions or more in a game.

Carolina faced one of the league’s toughest teams against the rush and could only manage 95 yards on the ground the entire game making it more important Newton come through in the air and he did not.

However, Newton is not the only one to blame. Veteran Steve Smith the always sure handed wide receiver dropped a pair of passes, including one for a touchdown.

If dropped passes were not enough, the offensive line gave up seven sacks in the game. Regardless if some believe Newton held the ball too long in the pocket, seven sacks are just too much.

Rubbing their noses even more into the ground were the nine penalties they committed as a team in the game.

While the Saints run away with the NFC South, the Carolina Panthers are heading in the opposite direction. If it were not for the lowly Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Panthers would be the kings of the NFC South cellar.