Panthers wrapup: Turnovers, struggling pass game combine for 23-16 home loss to Bears

By Richard Walker

Notes and observations from the Carolina Panthers’ 23-16 home loss to the Chicago Bears on Sunday that dropped the team to 3-3 overall and ended Carolina’s three-game winning streak.

… At 3-3, history doesn’t bode well if you’re hoping for a postseason appearance. Only in 2013 was Carolina 3-3 before making the playoffs. Every other playoff season – 1996, 2003, 2005, 2008, 2014, 2015 and 2017 – the Panthers had a better record after six games.

… Despite the loss, the defense had arguably its best effort of the season. Chicago’s 13 first half rushing yardage was the lowest yards in a half by a Panthers opponent since Tampa Bay had 11 yards in the Oct. 13, 2019 game in London. And Chicago’s 261 total yardage was the lowest yards in a game by a Panthers opponent since Arizona had 248 yards in a Sept. 22, 2019 game in Glendale, Ariz. Carolina won both of those 2019 games.

… Carolina’s 191 net passing yardage was the Panthers’ lowest since they had 100 in a loss at the San Francisco 49ers on Oct. 27, 2019.

… Since the NFL scheduling model in 2002 began mandating every NFC team plays an entire division elsewhere in the conference, Carolina is 13-12 all-time in those pre-determined games against the NFC North. Carolina hosts Detroit on Nov. 22, visits Minnesota on Nov. 29 and visits Green Bay on Dec. 19 or 20. Carolina is 13-11 against the NFC East and 15-9 against the NFC West in pre-determined matchups since 2002.

… A statistic that always foretells success or failure for the Panthers is the ability of the team to have 30 or more carries in a contest. When Carolina has 30 or more carries, its all-time record is 149-29-1. But like on Sunday, when the Panthers had 29 carries, their all-time record is 58-185 when the team has less than 30 carries.

Next week:
Carolina at New Orleans, Oct. 25 at 1 p.m.