Sunday’s 33-31 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs was a classic measuring-stick kind of matchup for the Carolina Panthers. What ultimately made the difference was a massive firepower advantage on offense for Kansas City. Considering the talent Carolina has on that side of the ball, that’s saying something. While the champs were hardly on their A-game, they got their victory thanks to an explosive output from the greatest equalizer in NFL history: quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
The reigning Super Bowl MVP put on an extremely entertaining clinic against Carolina’s young and shorthanded defense, completing 30 of 45 passes for 372 yards and four touchdowns. Mahomes’ performance has been named one of the five most notable from Week 9 by Mark Schofield at Touchdown Wire.
Some Mahomes content
*Y-Iso with Kelce against a CB
*Anticipation in the middle of the field
*Cover Tyreek, kids pic.twitter.com/tx6EkjEJ0H— Mark Schofield (@MarkSchofield) November 10, 2020
Close as it was, this game was a reminder of just how far this Panthers team has to go. Defensively, there are several gaping holes that can only be addressed with new personnel. The disparity at QB was also glaring, even as solid as Teddy Bridgewater’s performance was.
So far, Bridgewater is doing a fine job of managing this offense, especially considering he’s only had nine games to do it. He’s never going to be able to do what we saw Mahomes do, though.
As unfair as it is to everyone else involved, Mahomes sets the QB standard these days and it’s extraordinarily high. If the opportunity comes to acquire a younger, more dynamic passer with a higher ceiling before Bridgewater’s contract ends the Panthers would be foolish not to take it.
