Last season, the Carolina Panthers defense did not live up to the standard that we’ve been accustomed to under coach Ron Rivera. Carolina finished the 2018 season having allowed 23.9 points per game, ranking No. 19 in the league. They were also at the bottom end of the league in sacks.
This year, it’s been a totally different story. New additions like defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, safety Tre Boston and especially secondary coach Perry Fewell have helped engineer a huge turnaround. Heading into Week 5, the Panthers have allowed the fewest passing yards per game (156.8) and are tied with the Patriots for the NFL lead in sacks (18).
One of the reasons the unit has been so successful? Gone are the blown coverages and missed assignments that seemed to happen too often in 2018. Penalties have also reduced dramatically. This week’s opponent has noticed.
Jacksonville Jaguars coach Doug Marrone says Carolina’s defense is the most disciplined he’s seen on film this year. Marrone also says it might be the best defense they’ll face all season.
In addition to not making mistakes, the defense has seemingly recaptured their long-lost ability to create takeaways – the Panthers are tied for third in the league with four interceptions.
The advanced stats indicate this could be a special unit, as well. Carolina currently ranks fifth in defensive DVOA, per Football Outsiders.
