The Carolina Panthers played their first 2021 preseason game Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts, losing 21-18.
The Panthers starters did not get any playing time. Quarterback P.J. Walker started the game over Sam Darnold, playing the first two quarters and Will Grier took over the quarterback duties in the second half. The fact that Darnold did not play was somewhat surprising because he just joined the team.
Wins and losses in the preseason do not really matter, they have nothing to do with the ultimate goal of winning the Super Bowl. Panthers head coach Matt Rhule has a different opinion. He let the media know that he was not happy with the outcome. The loss was a result of lack of execution and an abundance of penalties.
“We were upset at halftime about the amount of false starts in the first half and penalties. We had seven penalties in the first half,” said Rhule, who watched his Panthers finish with a total of 10 infractions on the day.
“So you can make excuses. I don’t make excuses and I don’t let others make them for me. We jumped offsides. That was really the message of the day, ‘Hey, we beat ourselves.’”
Carolina was able to build a lead at the start of the game. Their largest lead was 12 points and they carried an eight-point lead into the final stanza.
The Colts were energized by quarterback Sam Ehlinger’s dual-threat ability. He was able to lead the Colts and erase the deficit, with the team adding 11 points in the final eight minutes of the game. With only seven seconds left, a 30-yard field goal by Eddy Pineiro, gave the Colts a three-point lead, which they never relinquished.
Carolina’s second-year cornerback, Troy Pride Jr., left the game mid-way through the fourth quarter with a leg injury. The athletic training staff tried to assist him to the locker room, but he was unable to make it there and a cart had to be brought out for him. After the game, coach Rhule had no information on the extent of Pride’s injury.
Coach Rhule stated, “We just didn’t win. I don’t care if it’s a preseason game, I don’t care if it’s a scrimmage,” Rhule later added. “We wanna win everything that we do.”
Rhule can use this game as a measuring stick to help him determine what moves he has to make by Tuesday, when he has to make roster cuts.
As stated previously, there were a lot of unnecessary mental mistakes and penalties (10), mostly false starts. Those errors can be easily corrected. The Panthers have a long way to go before they are ready to face their first real opponent, Zach Wilson and the New York Jets in Week 1 of the regular season.
The Panthers have a chance to right the ship on Saturday, Week 2 of the preseason, when they host the Baltimore Ravens at Bank of America Stadium.
