Week 13 delivers yet another frustrating loss in what should have been a hard-earned win. The Carolina Panthers hosted the Tampa Bay Buccaneers—and, unfortunately, the referees—at Bank of America Stadium. The Panthers fell short by a mere 3 points with a final score of 26-23. What makes this loss even more painful is the fact that we left 13 points on the field, missing two crucial field goals while the referees turned a blind eye to what was clearly a touchdown. The Carolina Panthers are getting close each week, but we have to be ready to flip the switch at some point.
Let’s start with the facts:
Bryce Young continues to show noticeable improvement and growth on multiple fronts, marking four consecutive games of progress. His growing confidence has lifted the spirits of his teammates, and once again, he set a new season-high, completing 26 of 46 passes for 298 yards and one touchdown. But the question should be asked: do we really want or need Bryce throwing the ball 46 times in a game? While I’ll admit he’s been exciting to watch, the Panthers just handed a new contract to Hubbard—so let’s get him the ball! Just because the running game isn’t clicking doesn’t mean we should abandon it completely. And speaking of potential, Jonathan Brooks showed on Sunday that he’s got that "dog" mentality—he’s ready to contribute.
The defense came ready to play in some aspects, with A’Shawn Robinson (DE) leading the charge, recording five solo tackles. Jewell (LB) stood out, pacing all defenders with 10 tackles, including six solo. The defense also snagged two interceptions, one from rookie Chau Smith-Wade and the other from Xavier Woods. Remarkably, it wasn’t until the fourth quarter that the defense allowed a third-down conversion. However, the one glaring deficiency of this unit is our run defense; Bucs’ Bucky Irving ran wild on Sunday. We might be in for a long day this weekend against Philadelphia Eagles Star RB, Saquon Barkley.
The Ugly:
No one can convince me that Adam Thielen's catch wasn’t a touchdown, yet the referees ruled it incomplete. We could point to several factors that cost us this game. We could discuss Eddy Pineiro’s missed two field goals, which cost us six points, or the touchdown called back by the referees that took away seven points, including the extra point. Then, of course, there’s the fumble by Chuba at the very end. Regardless of where you place the blame, had the kicker made those kicks and the touchdown stood, we wouldn't have been in such a tight situation. Between the kicker’s missed opportunities and the referees' questionable calls, both played a significant role in this loss. Both need to do better.
Lately, this team has been laying it all on the line, giving everything they’ve got on the field, only to fall in many of their games. As fans, we can’t help but feel the weight of each loss alongside them, torn between admiration for their effort and the sting of what could have been. It’s easy to get caught in the cycle of “moral victories,” but at the end of the day, it doesn’t erase the heartbreak of coming so close without the reward. While we may feel proud of their relentless determination, it’s hard not to wonder: Does seeing them fight so hard without winning truly make us feel better, or does it only make the pain of defeat more palpable?
Photos: Carolina Panthers
To this day I'm mad about Thielens catch not being called a touchdown
Compete. Entertain us. Build an identity. Those were 3 reasonable expectations we as fans might have had coming into the season. And we know that if those things happen, eventually winning will follow. The reason the first half of this season felt so discouraging for fans is that we didn’t see any of these 3 things. But I would submit that in the last 5 games we’ve seen all 3. And we know the winning will come.
Eddy will come back don’t worry🥲