CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Carolina Panthers hit a new low Thursday night, scoring zero offensive touchdowns in a miserable 16-13 loss to the Chicago Bears. But is it rock bottom?
Head coach Frank Reich said Friday that he’s not looking at any immediate staff changes despite the Panthers’ 1-8 record. And after handing over play-calling duties to offensive coordinator Thomas Brown, the probably aren’t any staff changes Reich could make that would change much at this point in the season. Since Brown took over, Carolina’s offense has only scored two touchdowns in three games.
“From the outside eye it looks bad and it is bad,” Reich lamented, saying there are things he saw in film review that suggest fixes can be made.
Reich also said that he’s open to doing what’s best to help the team win, even if that means calling plays again, but said he doesn’t want to overreact and put the blame on Brown.
Instead, Reich could be coaching for his own job, especially if there are concerns about the development of No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young. Locked On Panthers host Julian Council says he’s not sure there’s any way Reich can survive this season without making significant changes, assuming David Tepper doesn’t decide to clean house.
“This is rock bottom. With Frank Reich, who has won a Super Bowl as an offensive coordinator, not the play caller, but as a coordinator in the National Football League,” Council said. “They went out and got D.J. Chark, and they got Hayden Hurst and they got Miles Sanders and none of them have done anything to warrant the amount of money that they’re making. And yes, go ahead and throw Scott Fitterer under the bus because he’s probably going to be the one to get fired for this.”
Reich acknowledged that his job could be at risk if the team doesn’t get things turned around quickly, but said he won’t let it affect his day-to-day operation.
“I have to meet those expectations as a head coach that primarily center around results and show we’re heading in the right direction,” Reich said. “We’ve got half a second to do that. I don’t walk on pins and needs, this is the NFL, we’re all on one-day contracts.”
As for Reich, Council says it feels inevitable that sweeping changes are made.
“It’s really hard to argue against it at this point in time,” he said. “It’s not really a matter of if, but when Frank Reich and his coach staff gets handed their walking papers.
“Frank Reich’s gonna lose his job, let’s just all be honest here. He’s gonna lose his job. It’s hard to see how he’s going to survive this.”
Council said it all comes back around to David Tepper.
“When David Tepper decided that he was no longer going to be there day to day with his hedge fund, Appaloosa Management, and decided that he was going to put all his attention to the Carolina Panthers, that was the day we were doomed. That was the day. So unless there’s going to be some sort of scandal or something like that, then I just don’t really know how the Carolina Panthers are ever going to get of this until David Tepper just figures out how to run an organization, how to get the hell out of the way and hire the right people and let them do their jobs.”
Locked On is the leading podcast network for local sports and is owned by WCNC Charlotte’s parent company TEGNA. Listen to Locked On here.
All of WCNC Charlotte’s podcasts are free and available for both streaming and download. You can listen now on Android, iPhone, Amazon, and other internet-connected devices. Join us from North Carolina, South Carolina, or on the go anywhere.