Cat Scratch Reader - Carolina Panthers at Kansas City Chiefs: Week 9 full coverageKeep Pounding!https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48401/catscratchreader_fave.png2020-11-11T08:00:00-05:00http://www.catscratchreader.com/rss/stream/213128452020-11-11T08:00:00-05:002020-11-11T08:00:00-05:00What that bear’s doing: Panthers at Chiefs lineman of the week
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<p>It was an exceptionally valiant effort for the Panthers, but they just couldn’t quite make it happen against the best team in the NFL. Trench warfare definitely played a part in that.</p> <p id="7Qldtk">For those that haven’t tuned in lately, welcome to “What that bear’s doing” the 2020 replacement for the column formerly known as “The Hog Molly report.” We’ve changed the format a bit, in an effort to focus on the positives for this young team as they grow and gain experience together.</p>
<p id="gwqiTo">Hogs and Bears are both perfect analogs for linemen, and while the term “Hog Molly” is not unique to Dave Gettleman, it has become associated with him. I’m not changing it because of this, but merely, a better opportunity has presented itself with the Anderson quote. In “What that Bear’s doing” we are going to focus on one individual’s play in a given week, then talk about the lines more generally. This week, our bear of the week is:</p>
<h3 id="N3pT21"><span>Derrick Brown</span></h3>
<p id="45fHXj">The future is bright for the <a href="https://www.catscratchreader.com/">Panthers</a> defense. We have a significant amount of rookie talent making a strong first year impact. While I think <span>Jeremy Chinn</span> has had more eye-popping moments as you’d expect given the position he plays, the blue collar work that Derrick Brown is doing needs more attention. While he had two penalties levied against him on Sunday, only the offsides was real (defensive holding on a d-lineman? Get out of here). His impact though given that he is now basically a full-time player (69% of snaps, second only to <span>Brian Burns</span> among DL) must be mentioned. The <a href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com">Chiefs</a> had no shot running the football on Sunday, averaging a meager 2.5 yards a carry. They tested the interior early, but abandoned it quickly as they found it quite full of giant man-bear.</p>
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<p id="x7VGtL">The run scatter-chart from <span>Clyde Edwards-Helaire</span> is just as meager as Bell’s above, and the <a href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com/">Chiefs</a> didn’t press the issue as they have no problem just throwing the football all the time. At that point, uneducated minds would think you neutralize what Brown can do for you. You’d be wrong.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Most QB pressures by rookies: <br>1. Chase Young - 17<br>2. Derrick Brown - 13<br>3. Javon Kinlaw - 12<br>4. Tershawn Wharton - 11 <a href="https://t.co/cFqGBzVeIh">pic.twitter.com/cFqGBzVeIh</a></p>— PFF (@PFF) <a href="https://twitter.com/PFF/status/1326159181846618112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 10, 2020</a>
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<p id="zg10kc">Derrick Brown, though currently without a sack to his name, is terrifying enemy signal callers. The Panthers schedule has been brutal, about to face their 6th straight MVP quarterback in as many weeks, so it is safe to say that were we teeing up some easier targets he’d have already gotten home. The point is, though the Panthers defense is bad right now, it won’t be for very long as these young guys are only going to improve with all this experience they are getting.</p>
<h3 id="5A9mko">Other bears of note (not named Sir Purr)</h3>
<p id="8Y0xAM">Nothing really has changed from my evaluation last week. Defensive tackle and inside linebacker have to be very high on the Panthers draft and free agency list this offseason, as do offensive linemen in general. Unfortunately now, I have to elevate left tackle once again, as I am just not feeling any of the guys who have replaced Russel <span>Okung</span> due to injury. Even less fortunately, <span>Greg Little</span> has yet to step up and take ownership of that left tackle of the future role despite all the opportunities given. Both Dennis Daley and <span>Trent Scott</span> have proven more reliable in their reps, and I just think it’s really likely that this will be <span>Okung</span>’s last NFL season.</p>
<p id="NGHbym">All that said, I hope <span>Russell Okung</span> can come back healthy soon, because we really need to figure out the left guard situation. <span>Chris Reed</span> is getting routinely beat, and also picked up a costly hands to the face penalty as the Panthers tried to mount their late heroic comeback. Matt Rhule specifically pointed this out in his press conference, so I hope he is looking to make a change. It may be time to admit <span>Greg Little</span> just wont be a tackle, but might be comfortable at guard. Daley has proven pretty decent at guard. I would try both and see what works.</p>
<p id="ikZaFs">Defensively, another week, another Brian Burns highlight. This time on a “only this guy is this athletic” read option bust where he successfully plays both the handoff and the QB. They did not credit him for a sack on this play, but I do think it was supposed to be a pass option (lineman not downfield, receivers running routes).</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">One thing I've noticed about watching Brian Burns over the years is how good he is at dissecting option plays. Brilliant use of hesitance as he makes the Panthers' biggest defensive play of the game. <a href="https://t.co/W1jduqjo1Z">pic.twitter.com/W1jduqjo1Z</a></p>— Johnny Kinsley (@Brickwallblitz) <a href="https://twitter.com/Brickwallblitz/status/1325907346791559170?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 9, 2020</a>
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<p id="oCyBwT">It really is like a video game sometimes. I’ve not seen the twitch reflexes Brian Burns has in many players. I think if we had not been facing some of the best and most experienced quarterbacks the league has to offer, Burns would have double his current sack total, potentially more. </p>
<p id="dA8ECn">The words of wisdom from this weekly post, and others appear to be reaching the ears of Phil Snow. We saw more <span>Jermaine Carter Jr.</span> and <span>Marquis Haynes</span> this week, and less Tahir Whitehead. I’m sure they knew the Chiefs would air it out, and that coverage has not proven to be Whitehead’s thing. Despite the Chiefs production, I think this is optimal moving forward. Keep developing those young guys. <span>Yetur Gross-Matos</span> had a paltry 21% snap share, which I’m sure had more to do with pain management than anything else. Barring setback, I think we’ll see him back around 50% next week.</p>
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https://www.catscratchreader.com/2020/11/11/21558558/what-that-bears-doing-carolina-panthers-at-kansas-city-chiefs-lineman-of-the-week-nfl-week-9-2020Erik Sommers2020-11-10T08:00:00-05:002020-11-10T08:00:00-05:003 plays to love, 3 plays to hate from the Panthers’ 33-31 loss to the Chiefs
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<img alt="NFL: NOV 08 Panthers at Chiefs" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/HdPh9S-88lW1E6Nx-gmT0kZtSqQ=/0x0:3238x2159/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67764599/1229539145.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by William Purnell/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>These key plays swung momentum and decided the Carolina Panthers 33-31 road loss against the Kansas City Chiefs putting Carolina’s record at 3-6. </p> <p id="mFGA4e">Plays to Love, Plays to Hate highlights the plays that have a significant impact in swinging momentum and impacting the eventual outcome of the game. There’s always plenty to hate about NFL officiating, so we will only focus on the plays on the field, not the refs. Let’s review the momentum-shifting plays that allowed the <a href="https://www.catscratchreader.com/">Panthers</a> to come oh-so-close to beating the defending Super Bowl champions. </p>
<h3 id="meJUOy">Three plays to love</h3>
<p id="l2wVwV"><strong>First quarter touchdown on fourth-and-3: </strong>Carolina received the kickoff to begin the game then engineered a drive down to the Kansas City nine yard line. Facing fourth-and-3 Matt Rhule had a choice to make: Take the points and get on the board early, or go for a touchdown because the Panthers won’t beat the <a href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com">Chiefs</a> with field goals. Rhule decided to go for it. On fourth down <span>Christian McCaffrey</span> slipped uncovered into the left flat, caught an easy pass, and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8sN3CfyLMY">walked into the end zone</a>. The bold play call set the tone for the rest of the game. The Panthers had come to play! </p>
<p id="40dmYL"><strong>Fake punt leads to second quarter touchdown:</strong> The Panthers led 7-3 early in the second quarter and faced a fourth-and-7 from their own 45. Carolina’s special teams executed a perfect fake punt and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5N_QHQaE-A">punter Joseph Charlton threw a completion</a> to a wide open <span>Brandon Zylstra</span> who gained 28 yards to the Kansas City 27. Carolina scored a touchdown three plays later to take a 14-3 lead. </p>
<p id="yB1QtG"><strong>Bridgewater pulls</strong><strong> a Superman in the fourth quarter:</strong> The Panthers lead had been obliterated by the early fourth quarter and they now trailed 26-17. Facing a daunting fourth-and-14 near midfield, Matt Rhule once again decided to be aggressive and went for the first down instead of punting. <span>Teddy Bridgewater</span> dropped nine yards deep and the pocket started collapsing. Teddy bolted up the middle and as defenders started converging it looked like he would be stopped short of the first. But about five yards before the sticks, Bridgewater pulled a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GbcjDDrIjg">head-first Superman dive and flew through the air</a> for a gutsy, improbable first down. It was incredible. The drive ended with a touchdown to pull the Panthers to 26-24. </p>
<h3 id="UYnIfz">Three plays to hate</h3>
<p id="4UkHra"><strong>Tyreek’s double gut punch in the fourth quarter: </strong>Carolina trailed 20-17 early in the fourth quarter. Kansas City faced a third-and-5 from their own 46 and a stop by the Panthers defense would have been huge. But Donte Jackson couldn’t stay with Tyreek Hill on a deep out route and Hill picked up 26 yards. It got even worse on the very next play when confusion in the secondary led to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mn0E7AM6nrY">Hill being literally uncovered in the end zone</a> for an easy touchdown. Instead of forcing a punt with a stop on that third-and-5, the Panthers now trailed 26-17 (after a missed extra point).</p>
<p id="s3K21V"><strong>Panthers nearly execute surprise onside kick in the fourth quarter: </strong>The Panthers scored a touchdown with just over 10 minutes left to close the deficit to 26-24. On the ensuing kickoff <span>Joey Slye</span> attempted a surprise onside kick. The ball traveled about nine-and-a-half yards when Slye made the recovery amid scrambling Chiefs players. Had the ball traveled just a few feet further or bounced just a little faster, Carolina would’ve regained possession with a chance to take the lead. Instead, Kansas City began at the Carolina 39 yard line and ended up scoring a touchdown for a 33-24 lead with just under eight minutes left. While this is considered a “Play to Hate” because it could’ve really swung momentum the Panthers way had it been successful, I actually liked the aggressive play call and it nearly worked. </p>
<p id="oW6uqA"><strong>Reed</strong><strong>’s 10-yard penalty on the game’s final drive:</strong> Incredibly, the Panthers took possession at their own nine yard line with 1:26 left with the chance to engineer a game-winning drive. Carolina quickly gained 14 yards but with 1:05 left <span>Chris Reed</span> was called for illegal use of the hands which moved the ball back from the 23 to the 13. This was a massive blunder when a field goal could win the game. Ultimately the Panthers had to attempt a would-be NFL record 67-yard field goal to win the game, but <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQpsFCLE-6I">Joey Slye pushed the kick wide right</a>. Would Slye have made a 57-yarder if Reed hadn’t committed this penalty? Nobody knows. Slye had already doinked a 51-yarder earlier in the game, but there’s a huge, huge difference between a clutch 57-yard kick and a nearly impossible 67-yarder. </p>
<h3 id="nEzQee">Closing it out and summing it up</h3>
<p id="aNktbY">I’m not usually one who sings the praises of moral victories but this game was undoubtedly a step in the right direction for this rebuilding Panthers team, despite being a loss. </p>
<p id="6GYIqb">Carolina had no business keeping this game close. Here are the names of a few of the defensive players who played at least 25 percent of the team’s snaps: <span>Rasul Douglas</span>, <span>Sam Franklin</span>, <span>Corn Elder</span>, Jermaine Carter, <span>Marquis Haynes</span>, <span>Efe Obada</span>, <span>Bravvion Roy</span>, Troy Pride Jr, and Zach Kerr. No disrespect to these nine players, but most of them are complete unknowns to the average NFL fan. To paraphrase from a Hamilton song, this ragtag defense in need of a shower nearly defeated an NFL superpower. Impressive work, fellas. </p>
<p id="Pz84l3">There are also two honorable mention “plays to love” that I just couldn’t fit in. </p>
<p id="QgPSUU">First was Sam Franklin’s incredible back-to-back plays in the third quarter in which he dropped Le’Veon Bell for a five yard loss then sacked <a href="https://dknation.draftkings.com/2019/8/29/20838560/patrick-mahomes-fantasy-football-dfs-salary-stats-2019">Patrick Mahomes</a> on the next play, personally pushing Kansas City into a missed 48-yard field goal. Incredible stuff coming from an undrafted rookie!</p>
<p id="pZuq4Z">Second was <span>Brian Burns</span> dropping <span>Patrick Mahomes</span> for a six-yard loss on an option run with just 1:42 left in the game, ultimately forcing a Chiefs punt and giving the Panthers one last possession to try to win the game. Burns exploded into the backfield then wasn’t fooled by the RPO. Totally clutch play from a talent who has future Pro Bowler written all over him. </p>
<p id="tiNlxT">I’d like to give Matt Rhule a fist bump for being aggressive, bold, and innovative throughout this game. He knew the Panthers were going to need points and possessions to win. I loved going for it on fourth-and-3 on the game’s first drive. I loved the fake punt. I loved the surprise onside kick. Heck, I loved the 67-yard field goal attempt instead of a Hail Mary. I’ve been critical of some of Rule’s and Joe Brady’s play calling on fourth-and-short this year, but those are just tactics. I applaud Coach Rhule for his overall strategy and mentality in this contest. It was nearly flawless. </p>
<p id="geTP5U">At 3-6 the Panthers are right where I hoped they would be by playing generally competitive, competent football (we’ll just pretend the Atlanta loss never happened). Carolina now faces a desperate 6-3 <a href="https://www.bucsnation.com/">Tampa Bay Buccaneers</a> team that was just humiliated on national television. After what I just saw against the Chiefs, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Panthers give the Bucs all they can handle. </p>
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https://www.catscratchreader.com/2020/11/10/21557646/nfl-week-9-panthers-31-chiefs-33-3-plays-to-love-3-plays-to-hateD.A. Sweat2020-11-09T09:00:12-05:002020-11-09T09:00:12-05:005 winners from the Panthers’ 33-31 loss to the Chiefs
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<p>The Panthers lost to the Chiefs in Week 9, but they held their own against the defending champs and almost pulled off a surprising upset.</p> <p id="RinpLU">The <a href="https://www.catscratchreader.com/">Panthers</a> gave their all against the <a href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com">Chiefs</a> yesterday, but it wasn’t quite enough as they fell short in their upset bid in an inspiring 33-31 loss. Usually after the Panthers lose there are both winners and losers to discuss, but because they played well above their expectations yesterday I’m going to (mostly) skip the negativity this week and focus on the winners who deserve some recognition.</p>
<h3 id="OW61T1">Winners</h3>
<h4 id="yAqIsH"><span>Teddy Bridgewater</span></h4>
<p id="30n1zT">Bridgewater had another solid game for the Panthers yesterday. He was 36-of-49 for 310 yards passing, had 19 yards on two carries and produced three touchdowns (two passing, one rushing) with zero turnovers. He was only sacked twice and he didn’t make a lot of mistakes. The main reason he’s included this week, however, is because of one play on fourth-and-14 where he took off on a 15-yard run and sacrificed himself to pick up a first down. You don’t see many quarterbacks willing to do that, and Teddy won me over completely after that play. Some folks may still need to see more from him, but I’m no longer a part of that group. Win or lose, Teddy B is my quarterback now.</p>
<h4 id="sspmGq"><span>Christian McCaffrey</span></h4>
<p id="VHrFln">The Panthers got a huge boost with the Return of the Mack (sorry for putting the song in your head). McCaffrey totaled 151 yards from scrimmage (69 rushing, 82 receiving) and two touchdowns. The offense looked much better with him on the field (which is normally what happens when you have your best player out there) and he looked like he didn’t miss a beat despite being out since Week 2 with a high ankle sprain. He didn’t waste any time finding the end zone either since he scored on the team’s opening drive (on fourth-and-3 from the KC 9-yard line, no less). I could go on and on about what C-Mac brings to this team, but you already know, so I’ll just sum it up and say that I’m glad he’s back out there. </p>
<h4 id="uWAPZ3"><span>Curtis Samuel</span></h4>
<p id="NvyLQT">Samuel had another outstanding game where he hauled in nine catches (on nine targets) for 105 yards, including an amazing catch for a huge 28-yard gain. He also picked up 13 yards on three carries. Oh, and he also scored a touchdown in the second quarter. The Panthers are going to have a tough decision to make on what to do with Samuel after the season is over. He’s definitely worth keeping around, but the key is going to be how much salary cap space he’ll take up, because the team has other needs to fill that may take priority. If it were up to me the Panthers would find a way to keep him for a few more years, but unfortunately it’s not up to me. Hopefully the people in charge of making those decisions agree with me though, because I’d hate to see Samuel finally break out for another team to reap all the benefits. </p>
<h4 id="lnSE4p"><span>Sam Franklin</span></h4>
<p id="T5kJa3">Franklin had a bit of a coming out party yesterday. He was tied for the team lead in tackles (seven total, five solo) and added a sack, 1.5 tackles for loss and a quarterback hit. He made one critical communication error that led to a touchdown, but otherwise he played well given the circumstances. Everyone thought Franklin was only signed as an undrafted free agent because he played for Temple, but perhaps the Panthers have found a hidden gem after all. It’s way too early to make any judgments on his potential, but if we see a few more games like yesterday we’ll have to have a serious conversation about where Franklin fits in Carolina’s defense.</p>
<h4 id="V46Joo">Matt Rhule</h4>
<p id="bpa6Im">It takes a lot of guts to coach a game like Rhule did yesterday. He knew going in that he was clearly outmatched by the defending champs, and he used that knowledge to craft a game plan that was basically ‘throw every single thing you’ve got at them and see what happens’, and it worked to near perfection. </p>
<p id="bks1JC">The Panthers had no business losing this game by two points. The Chiefs are more than two points better than the Panthers. Hell, they’re arguably the best team in the league, and they’re the defending <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/super-bowl">Super Bowl</a> champs. We were also playing in their house, which is a notoriously difficult place to play (to be fair, COVID-19 somewhat negated the home field advantage a bit since they couldn’t have a full capacity crowd).</p>
<p id="jfJ4IY">Matt Rhule went into this game as an underdog and threw everything he had at Andy Reid. The Panthers went for it on fourth-and-3 from the Chiefs 9-yard line instead of kicking the field goal because Rhule knew that taking three points won’t win against the Chiefs. The result of that play was a Christian McCaffrey 9-yard touchdown reception and a 7-0 lead. </p>
<p id="01ZjlA">The Panthers faked a punt on fourth-and-7 from their own 45 yard line. The result of that play was a 28-yard pass from <span>Joseph Charlton</span> to <span>Brandon Zylstra</span> for a first down that eventually led to a Curtis Samuel 14-yard touchdown reception and a 14-3 lead. </p>
<p id="yhXuEB">The Panthers went for it on fourth-and-14 from their own 45-yard line while down two points with 13:09 left in the fourth quarter. The result of that play was a Teddy Bridgewater 15-yard run where he dove over what seemed like the entire Chiefs defense to pick up a critical first down. </p>
<p id="EBsor0">The Panthers tried two (yes, <em>two</em>) onside kicks yesterday. Both failed, but they get bonus points for having the guts to try to catch the Chiefs off guard — and risk giving them a short field if they failed — when they didn’t have to. The Panthers faced a do-or-die fourth-and-10 at the Chiefs 49-yard line with 0:02 left in the game. <span>Joey Slye</span> attempted a 67-yard game-winning field goal that had the distance but sailed wide right in the Kansas City wind. </p>
<p id="VyNJ5u">I’ve never been more excited to see the Panthers lose a game, and I’ve never been more happy to finally see them do something they’ve never really done before: They went for it. One of the complaints we’ve had as Panthers fans has always been that we’re far too conservative to ever really break through, and it’s always been true. </p>
<p id="RZd4Jq">Everyone knows that the Panthers never would have done those things under John Fox or Ron Rivera, and everyone knows that a John Fox or Ron Rivera Panthers team would probably have lost that game by at least 24 points, if not more. But this team is different. Matt Rhule is bringing another dimension to Carolina, and it’s one that we’ve needed for far too long: He’s bringing a mindset of ‘screw it, let’s see what happens’ and I for one couldn’t be happier that we’re approaching games this way. </p>
<p id="Ai0arI">The wins will come later, but for now I’ll take solace in the fact that we’re not giving up, no matter how much the odds are stacked against us. We finally have some fight, and we’re going to be a tough out for every team we face for the rest of this season. It feels so good to be able to write that, y’all. It really does.</p>
<h3 id="U0TjP2">Honorable mentions</h3>
<p id="piPa7t">The only negative thing I have to say about this game is that <span>Travis Kelce</span> should not have been left wide open on what seemed like every single play the Chiefs ran. He ended up with 10 catches (on 12 targets) for 159 yards. The only positive (if you can call it that) is that he didn’t score any touchdowns, but the rest of the Chiefs offense took care of that part. </p>
<p id="ywKbyn">It’s hard to really complain about defensive breakdowns against the Chiefs because they do that to everyone, and <a href="https://dknation.draftkings.com/2019/8/29/20838560/patrick-mahomes-fantasy-football-dfs-salary-stats-2019">Patrick Mahomes</a> is a certified badass, but it was still disappointing to see Kelce repeatedly picking up huge chunks of yards with little opposition. On the other hand, the Panthers held the lead until there was 4:42 left in the third quarter, so I suppose I can’t really complain too much.</p>
<p id="zqWnH2">I thought <span>Brian Burns</span> played well despite not really showing up on the score sheet. He led the team in quarterback hits (three) and picked up two tackles and a tackle for loss. <span>Derrick Brown</span> also played well despite an untimely offsides penalty. He tallied five tackles (three solo) 0.5 tackles for loss and a quarterback hit. </p>
<p id="zKn1iS">This is the best I’ve felt after a loss in a very long time. I thought going into this game that the Chiefs would obliterate us and make this game unwatchable by the end of the third quarter, and the Panthers came out and completely blew me away with their game plan. We may not win three more games this year, but if they play every game as hard as they played yesterday you won’t see many more complaints from me, no matter what our final win-loss record says. </p>
<p id="4fTvX5">What about you, Panthers fans? Who stood out to you yesterday? Share your thoughts with us!</p>
https://www.catscratchreader.com/2020/11/9/21556309/nfl-week-9-panthers-31-chiefs-33-five-winners-from-close-but-no-cigar-loss-to-defending-champsBradley Smith2020-11-09T08:00:00-05:002020-11-09T08:00:00-05:00Monday Morning Optimist: It's not about the destination, it's about the journeyman
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<p>If games are won on the margins then Rhule is the first Panthers coach to actively make those slimmer during a game.</p> <p id="QUVXAD">The <a href="https://www.catscratchreader.com/">Carolina Panthers</a> lost yesterday to the class of the NFL for a thousand different reasons: there were too many unwarranted flags; their defense forgot to force a punt (again); the offense struggled with consistency; there were too many warranted flags; <span>Joey Slye</span> missed an attempt at what would have been an NFL-record distance for the second straight week. Cut it however you want, the <a href="https://www.catscratchreader.com/">Panthers</a> took below average talent and a doe-eyed coaching staff up against Andy Reid, <a href="https://dknation.draftkings.com/2019/8/29/20838560/patrick-mahomes-fantasy-football-dfs-salary-stats-2019">Patrick Mahomes</a>, and the well bottled lightning of the <a href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com">Kansas City Chiefs</a> only lost by two points.</p>
<p id="ZE6Wyb">It was, on the whole, a very silly game but only because we ascribe the qualities of sense and judgment to conservatism in football. Going for it on fourth down is dangerous. Onside kicks are only for the mad or truly desperate. Matt Rhule wasn’t foolish so much as aggressive yesterday and, in so being, he provided a game that was downright entertaining to watch. Never mind that he almost won. Never mind that he did lose. </p>
<p id="1VkYrw">I’m not going to dig into the weeds of individual players today because this was a team loss just as much as it was almost a team win. We’ll touch on some moments, but dissecting the thousand moments that went right and wrong would be doing a disservice to the supreme optimism that the Panthers generated from looking at that game as a whole. Here are the quick hits.</p>
<h4 id="ZWVtrA">What I liked</h4>
<p id="cbISmf"><span><strong>Teddy Bridgewater</strong></span><strong> - Reasonably Enthused</strong></p>
<p id="ATePJN">I remember being slightly disappointed in <span>Teddy Bridgewater</span>’s day in the third quarter when they came up against fourth and 14. Fox flashed a graphic showing the Panthers were 2-2 on 4th down to that point. I said out loud “I don’t think they’ll make it to three for three.” <span>Bridgewater</span> ran for fifteen yards on his heart as much as he did his legs that play. </p>
<p id="w7Wv3t">It was the same way that drive was also saved by <span>Curtis Samuel</span> and <span>Christian McCaffrey</span> making circus catches. <span>McCaffrey</span> had a nice game assuming his ribs are alright, but we’ll wait to say more until we know more.</p>
<p id="eiK8x4"><span><strong>Curtis Samuel</strong></span><strong> - Extremely Optimistic</strong></p>
<p id="UFyBfm"><span>Samuel</span> went over 100 yards receiving, a career first. He had big catches on third and other downs. What a thing for a fourth year receiver. I can’t wait to see who blows up with next season. For his sake, I hope it isn’t the <a href="https://www.ganggreennation.com/">Jets</a>.</p>
<p id="dnz5GH"><span><strong>Brian Burns</strong></span><strong> - Eternally Optimistic</strong></p>
<p id="bhGsxM"> <span>Brian Burns</span> was a terror; copy and paste that sentence for next week.</p>
<p id="YYDt4B"><span><strong>Sam Franklin</strong></span><strong> - Where did he come from?</strong></p>
<p id="qJEy79"><span>Sam Franklin</span> had a big day for an absolutely unheralded player; he tied the team lead in tackles in addition to a sack, a quarterback hit, and a big run stuff. He’s an undrafted rookie who has now played in four games since <span>Juston Burris</span>’ injury. The Panthers missed <span>Jeremy Chinn</span> but it wasn’t as noticeable as many of us expected because of Franklin’s accomplishments. I don’t know if that is a credit to defensive coordinator Phil Snow or simply a testament to the fact that you can build an entire NFL roster out of former Temple players. Apparently.</p>
<h4 id="s1v3RT">The Takeaway</h4>
<p id="AaXQPS">That was all great.</p>
<p id="zGkH9W">That was all great except that you can’t play Kansas City and just not cover <a href="https://dknation.draftkings.com/2019/8/30/20837404/tyreek-hill-fantasy-football-dfs-salary-stats-2019">Tyreek Hill</a>. You can’t play Kansas City and have 12 penalties for 82 yards. You can’t field a defense that looks surprised when it forces a punt. Except the Panthers did all of those things. They did them and they held <span>Mahomes</span> to just four touchdown passes. They still only lost because Slye sent a would-be record kick wide right.</p>
<p id="TR59Jn">The Panthers did all of that with injuries up and down an already thin roster. How many of you even knew Franklin’s name before yesterday? They did all of that while rotating three guys at left tackle and having their lunch eaten by the Kansas City defensive front. This is the product of talent being elevated by good coaching. Middling talent, on average.</p>
<p id="izkbrT">The game itself was a blast to watch. The common wisdom of NFL games matches that of elections: they are won on the margins. If both teams are successful at 93% of the things that they do then the team that pulls off 93.5% of things will win. It’s why coaches default to safer calls. They don’t want to be the one who only executes 92.5% of their calls. They’d rather not win than lose. Rhule pushed the envelope of safe thinking, fell short more than once, and still almost brought it home. Never once did anybody watching this game think “this spectacle needs more punts. What a good play punts are, sometimes.”</p>
<p id="KuIUc0">Take that spirit, take the lessons that Rhule, Joe Brady, and Snow learned in their first year running an NFL team and add a little bit better talent. They can make Rhule’s gutsy calls a little easier to execute, their opportunities will be missed a little less frequently. At some point, Slye is going to connect on one of those record attempts. What happens next is appointment television, Panthers fans.</p>
<p id="psfhPk"></p>
https://www.catscratchreader.com/2020/11/9/21555524/panthers-at-chiefs-monday-morning-optimist-its-not-about-the-destination-its-about-the-journeymanWalker Clement2020-11-08T16:28:54-05:002020-11-08T16:28:54-05:00The Panthers fall short in 33-31 loss to the Chiefs
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<img alt="Kansas City Chiefs v Carolina Panthers" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/k7W8aMfc0E0UrsZwcnQx29F37Sc=/0x27:3000x2027/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67755985/623224244.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Panthers played a lot better against the Chiefs than anyone expected, but couldn’t pull off the upset.</p> <p id="8YUGL3">The Panthers came to Kansas City and tried everything they could to pull off an upset win, but they couldn’t quite pull off a victory and fell 33-31 to the defending champs.</p>
<p id="3wS98b">This game had everything. Fake punts, onside kicks, 15-yard quarterback scrambles on fourth-and-14, missed calls by officials that probably changed the course of the game, and of course — dynamic plays by the game’s best play makers. </p>
<p id="DVLB8P">The Panthers had no right to be in this game considering their opponent, but they were. They should have lost by a hell of a lot more than two points, but they didn’t. They showed a lot of fight, a lot of heart and a lot of grit today, and that’s something that Panthers fans should be proud to see. Sure, we didn’t come away with a win today, but honestly if you would have told me that we lost the game on a missed 67-yard field goal as time expired that would have won the game, I would have called you crazy. I’ll take this result all day long because it showed me that the Panthers <em>belong. </em>We haven’t belonged in a while, so it’s nice to finally feel that way again even if it’s in a losing effort.</p>
<p id="4mYdLu">There are some things the Panthers need to improve on, mostly on defense, but I’m giving them some slack because a) they’re young, and b) the Chiefs are really good. I’ll take these bumps in the road because it could have been a lot worse. </p>
<p id="nqINKd">Panthers fans have every reason to be proud right now, and I hope you realize that as you’re reading this. The Panthers are 3-6 and have a tough task next week against the Buccaneers, but for right now we can take solace in the fact that we almost shocked the world. </p>
<p id="ajeSXC">I know that’s what I’m going to do.</p>
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<h4 id="yunWbE">Fourth quarter: Panthers 31 Chiefs 33</h4>
<p id="UE6O4f">The Chiefs continued their drive that ended the third quarter and took advantage of the Panthers defense blowing their coverage on Tyreek Hill to increase their lead. Harrison Butker missed the extra point to keep the Chiefs’ lead to single digits at 26-17 with 14:23 left in the game.</p>
<p id="RYNGOe">The Panthers took over on offense and Teddy Bridgewater put the team on his back and drove them down the field to put the Panthers back into the game. There were two amazing receptions by Curtis Samuel and Christian McCaffrey to move the chains, but the key play came on fourth-and-14 when Bridgewater scrambled for 15 yards and dove over the defenders to pick up a huge first down to keep the drive going. Bridgewater then took the ball himself on third-and-goal and scrambled into the end zone to pull the Panthers to within two points at 26-24 with 10:22 left in the game.</p>
<p id="i0GNO0">The Panthers tried an onside kick and caught the Chiefs off guard, but the ball didn’t travel the required 10 yards and the Chiefs were given possession after the penalty. The Chiefs drove down the field and scored to extend their lead back to two possessions at 33-24 with 7:40 left in the game.</p>
<p id="tnLRUs">The Panthers drove down the field and pulled within two points again on a Christian McCaffrey touchdown run to make the score 33-31 with 1:53 left in the game.</p>
<p id="K5yMtp">The Panthers tried another onside kick but couldn’t recover it, but the defense stepped up and made their first stop of the day and forced the Chiefs to punt. The Panthers used all their timeouts on defense and had to go 89 yards with less than two minutes left to win the game. They weren’t able to pull off the upset but they surely went down fighting. Joey Slye missed a 67-yard field goal wide right as time expired to seal the game for the Chiefs.</p>
<h4 id="iRKadA">Third quarter: Panthers 17 Chiefs 20</h4>
<p id="l8lV7L">The Panthers started the second half on defense after taking the ball to begin the game. The Chiefs drove down the field efficiently to start the quarter, but Sam Franklin made two big plays to force a fourth down field goal try that Butker missed to preserve the Panthers’ four-point lead.</p>
<p id="qBMjOt">The Panthers couldn’t take advantage of the shorter field after facing a fourth-and-2 and a 51-yard field goal attempt by Joey Slye that bounced off the upright to keep the score 17-13. The Chiefs took over with a shorter field and that was all they needed to jump out to their first lead of the game. After a big play by Travis Kelce to put the Chiefs inside the red zone, Patrick Mahomes found Clyde Edwards-Helaire in the flat and the running back did the rest to give the Chiefs a 20-17 lead with 4:42 left in the quarter.</p>
<p id="oCavKh">The Panthers couldn’t get anything going on their next drive either and had to punt the ball back to the Chiefs while trailing by three points. Teddy Bridgewater took his first sack of the game to set up a second-and-27, and the Panthers couldn’t recover enough to put points on the board. The Chiefs took over on offense and held the ball through the end of the quarter with a 20-17 lead over the Panthers.</p>
<h4 id="r42KJy">Second quarter: Panthers 17 Chiefs 13</h4>
<p id="M5MUR9">The Panthers continued their second drive as the second quarter began but were facing a third-and-7 and were unable to pick up a first down, so they had to punt the ball back to the Chiefs offense. The Panthers ran another fake punt and picked up a first down when Joseph Charlton found Brandon Zylstra wide open in the middle of the field for a huge gain and a first down. The Panthers took advantage, and two plays later Curtis Samuel took and end around into the end zone for the Panthers’ second touchdown of the day to jump out to a 14-3 lead with 12:39 left in the half.</p>
<p id="RkEafe">The defense did their job again on the Chiefs’ second drive by forcing Harrison Butker to attempt a 55-yard field goal on fourth-and-10. The kick was good and the Chiefs were able to cut into the Panthers’ lead to make it a 14-6 game with 11:01 left in the half.</p>
<p id="QbY6Lt">The offense couldn’t add more points on their next drive (and it didn’t help that they were robbed of a first down after a bogus offensive pass interference call), and had to punt the ball back to the Chiefs. Charlton’s punt was shanked and only traveled 21 yards, which gave the Chiefs good field position and allowed them to drive down the field and score a touchdown to pull to within one point at 14-13 with 3:43 left in the half.</p>
<p id="mNknjG">The Panthers couldn’t find the end zone on their next drive, but they did manage to add to their lead when Joey Slye made a 47-yard field goal to extend the lead to four points at 17-13 with 0:46 left in the half.</p>
<p id="okKMuA">The Chiefs couldn’t take advantage of having nearly a minute left in the half and the Panthers took a four point lead into the break.</p>
<h4 id="ack65c">First quarter: Panthers 7 Chiefs 3</h4>
<p id="pV0uSo">The Panthers won the opening coin toss and elected to receive the kickoff to try and jump out to an early lead with their offense. The offense did everything they could on a 15-play drive that took 8:53 off the clock and netted them seven points when Teddy Bridgewater found Christian McCaffrey open in the flat on a gutsy fourth-and-3 play from the Chiefs 9-yard line to take an early 7-0 lead with 6:07 left in the quarter.</p>
<p id="dS1GOE">The Panthers defense did their job and protected the lead by forcing the Chiefs to settle for a field goal attempt on their opening drive, and Harrison Butker was able to put points on the board and cut the Panthers’ lead to four points at 7-3 with 1:38 left in the quarter.</p>
<p id="6a4ElC">The Panthers took over on their second drive but didn’t change the score as the quarter came to a close.</p>
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<h3 id="jZel1p">Game day inactives</h3>
<p id="RIQFsn">The <a href="https://www.catscratchreader.com/">Panthers</a> and <a href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com">Chiefs</a> have released their lists of inactive players. The bad news for the Panthers is that rookie linebacker/safety <span>Jeremy Chinn</span> will not play today. That probably decreases the Panthers’ chances of winning today, but on the bright side (I guess?) their chances were already slim to begin with. If Chinn has to miss a game for the Panthers, this game is probably the best one for him to sit out. </p>
<p id="XIoTlV">The Panthers are also down two offensive linemen as <span>Russell Okung</span> and <span>Michael Schofield</span> are both inactive today. The Panthers will have to rely on <span>Dennis Daley</span> and <span>Greg Little</span> to fill the void there, so hopefully they’re up to the task.</p>
<p id="0zeUUb"><span>Sammy Watkins</span> will not play for the <a href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com/">Chiefs</a> today, but they have so many weapons on offense that it probably won’t make much of a difference to the game’s result. </p>
<p id="1QKkT8">You can check out the full inactives for both teams below.</p>
<h4 id="zpp03e">Panthers inactives</h4>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Panthers inactives vs. Chiefs: <br><br>QB PJ Walker<br>WR Marken Michel<br>S Jeremy Chinn<br>S Sean Chandler<br>OL Michael Schofield<br>LT Russell Okung<br>DT Bruce Hector</p>— Alaina Getzenberg (@agetzenberg) <a href="https://twitter.com/agetzenberg/status/1325477386658471936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 8, 2020</a>
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<h4 id="4ljzaz">Chiefs inactives</h4>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Here are the Chiefs’ inactives for today’s game against Carolina:<br><br>WR Sammy Watkins<br>S Tedric Thompson<br>LB Darius Harris<br>DE Demone Harris<br>OT Mitchell Schwartz<br>TE Ricky Seals-Jones<br>DT Khalen Saunders</p>— Matt McMullen (@KCChiefs_Matt) <a href="https://twitter.com/KCChiefs_Matt/status/1325476445603459075?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 8, 2020</a>
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<p id="I5241M">The Panthers and Chiefs face off at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. at 1 p.m. ET today.</p>
<h2 id="Md7sdb">Game day information</h2>
<p id="hYG20m"><strong>What:</strong> <a href="https://www.catscratchreader.com/">Carolina Panthers</a> at <a href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com/">Kansas City Chiefs</a><br><strong>When:</strong> Sunday, November 8 at 1 p.m. ET<br><strong>Where:</strong> Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City, Mo.)<br><strong>TV: </strong>FOX; Kevin Burkhardt, Daryl Johnston (<a href="https://506sports.com/nfl.php?yr=2020&wk=9">coverage map</a>)<br><strong>Streaming:</strong> <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fubo.tv%2Flp%2Ffootball%2F%3Fbgvideo%3Dnfl.mp4%26title%3DLive%2520Football.%2520Stream%2520and%2520DVR.%26priceline%3D*Regional%2520and%2520mobile%2520restrictions%2520apply%26cta%3DGet%25207-Day%2520Free%2520Trial%2520Now%26irad%3D356362%26irmp%3D482924%26sharedid%3DCatScratchReader&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catscratchreader.com%2F2020%2F11%2F8%2F21555065%2Fnfl-week-9-panthers-31-chiefs-33-panthers-fall-short-in-road-upset-bid" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">FuboTV</a>, <a href="https://www.foxsports.com/live">FOX Sports Live</a>, <a href="https://mobile.yahoo.com/sports">Yahoo! Sports</a>, <a href="http://apps.yinzcam.com/nfl/car">Panthers mobile app</a><br><strong>Radio:</strong> <a href="https://www.panthers.com/news/radio">Panthers radio</a> (local); Mick Mixon<br><strong>Spanish Radio:</strong> <a href="https://www.panthers.com/news/espanol">Panthers radio</a> (local); Jaime Moreno, Antonio Ramos<br><strong>Weather:</strong> 74° / Partly Cloudy / 16 mph S wind / 10% rain (<a href="https://weather.com/weather/weekend/l/Kansas+City+MO?canonicalCityId=f52da748cbb18c8ccc9b45411e165875ff5f154473a2f681dfd384aede4f1f86">complete forecast</a>)</p>
<p id="owMRjx"><em>Note: You must have a subscription or a tv login for most streaming options.</em></p>
<p id="Cm8cG9"></p>
https://www.catscratchreader.com/2020/11/8/21555065/nfl-week-9-panthers-31-chiefs-33-panthers-fall-short-in-road-upset-bidBradley Smith2020-11-08T12:30:00-05:002020-11-08T12:30:00-05:00Panthers at Chiefs: Week 9 open game thread
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<img alt="NFL: NOV 13 Chiefs at Panthers" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/YSOzlG5nUY3Fgz0fkpTOCORR8Ps=/0x0:4896x3264/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67756114/625835744.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Chris Rodier/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Panthers face the Chiefs at 1 p.m. ET today.</p> <p id="WV11j5">The <a href="https://www.catscratchreader.com/">Panthers</a> square off against the <a href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com">Chiefs</a> at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. today at 1 p.m. ET in what will be the one of the toughest challenges the young Panthers defense will face all season. I don’t know if the Panthers will come out on top today, but hopefully we see them put up a tough fight regardless of the game’s final outcome.</p>
<p id="qxtKtE">Use this space to talk about the action as it unfolds.</p>
<p id="khkcia">You know the drill.</p>
<p id="rPwgVj"><em><strong>This is now an open thread!</strong></em></p>
https://www.catscratchreader.com/2020/11/8/21555061/nfl-panthers-chiefs-week-9-open-game-threadBradley Smith2020-11-08T10:44:02-05:002020-11-08T10:44:02-05:00Panthers at Chiefs: 5 questions with Arrowhead Pride
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<img alt="New York Jets v Kansas City Chiefs" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/G82_ezGhNmj_uE_CjrpW8m3Ruhw=/0x1:3019x2014/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67755798/1283397679.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Who’s going to beat the Panthers this week? Probably these guys.</p> <p id="EljUSk">The game starts in a few hours and our one question for this week will soon be answered: is <span>Christian McCaffrey</span> a more valuable player than <a href="https://dknation.draftkings.com/2019/8/29/20838560/patrick-mahomes-fantasy-football-dfs-salary-stats-2019">Patrick Mahomes</a>? We cannot even fathom the answer, so we’ll have to watch to find out. In the meantime, we do have the answers to five other pressing questions for you. These come courtesy of Tom Childs with an assist from John Dixon, both of Arrowhead Pride, SB Nation’s home for all things Kansas City.</p>
<p id="Q0OWtj">Come for the Pat Mahomes aggrandizing, stay for the bad barbecue takes and more:</p>
<p id="aagvzG"><strong>Accolades and championships aside, what has been the greatest part of watching Mahomes’ meteoric rise as a fan?</strong></p>
<p id="1diL96">This sounds really petty, but seeing other fans disregard his achievements because of A) They're sick to death of hearing about him B) The weapons he has around him or C) They hate the fact he plays for a small-market team. . No matter what he does, there’s always someone who has to make a comment about one thing or another. I’m not alone when I say I get great pleasure out of watching others hate on his greatness. The guy has literally normalised things that shouldn’t be done by a NFL Quarterback, yet people are still mad.. We’re watching <span>Michael Jordan</span> right now but he is getting Lebron level disrespect by the few.</p>
<p id="alqTDX"><strong>If you had to develop type 2 diabetes as a result of poor life choices, why would you choose to do so by over consumption of Kansas City barbecue sauces when healthier and tastier vinegar based options abound?</strong></p>
<p id="xrwRIQ">This comes courtesy of Arrowhead Pride Deputy Editor, John Dixon</p>
<blockquote><p id="1oMphp">No true <a href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com">Chiefs</a> fan will EVER acknowledge that a vinegar-based barbecue sauce is tastier; it’s nothing short of heresy to suggest otherwise. As for poor life choices... selecting the right barbecue sauce is indeed extremely important. But we’ve chosen to be <a href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com/">Chiefs</a> fans our whole lives — and that one choice overshadows all others. Granted... it’s been a poor choice for a long time. But as you can see, lately it’s started looking a whole lot better.</p></blockquote>
<p id="YnfyAs"><strong>If </strong><span><strong>Chris Jones</strong></span><strong> can’t go on Sunday, what does that mean for the Kansas City defense? Is this better news for </strong><span><strong>Christian McCaffrey</strong></span><strong> or </strong><span><strong>Teddy Bridgewater</strong></span><strong>?</strong></p>
<p id="rqjiQM">At the time of writing this, the news broke that <span>Chris Jones</span> will be available for Sunday’s game. <em>Does anyone actually know how the Covid protocols actually work? </em>His availability will be a problem for the <a href="https://www.catscratchreader.com/">Panthers</a> offense. The Chiefs defense has been excellent against the pass this year, with <span>Chris Jones</span> being a big reason why. After being paid the big bucks in the offseason, he’s stepped up another level and is right at the top-table of defensive lineman.</p>
<p id="bVfhym"><strong>How will your defense account for </strong><span><strong>Christian McCaffrey</strong></span><strong>’s long awaited return?</strong></p>
<p id="hIpt2P">As I mentioned in my previous answer the Chiefs defense has been very good against the pass - the same can’t be said against the run. The good news for the Chiefs is that it really doesn’t matter too much when you have #15 on the other side of the ball. There are some good run defenders on the Chiefs defense in <span>Frank Clark</span> and Derek Nnadi. The issue for Kansas City is that their linebackers aren’t great at filling gaps and at times it takes far too many Chiefs defenders to take down a single guy. I do think CMC will eat on Sunday. I just wonder how of a difference it will make to the end result.</p>
<p id="ewN8Ra"><strong>Which number will be higher for Mahomes’ offense, incompletions or punts?</strong></p>
<p id="OtYH5C">Wow, you’re a confident bunch over there. I’m going to say incompletions but not by a lot. <span>Patrick Mahomes</span> is quietly putting together a ridiculously efficient season, yet it’s going unnoticed because <span>Russell Wilson</span> is playing like a man possessed. When the Chiefs have let him wreak havoc, Mahomes has been just as good as he was in 2018. The only difference is that the team are far less dependable on him in 2020. </p>
https://www.catscratchreader.com/2020/11/8/21555126/panthers-at-chiefs-carolina-kansas-city-patrick-mahomes-5-qs-with-arrowhead-prideWalker Clement2020-11-07T15:05:29-05:002020-11-07T15:05:29-05:00Russell Okung ruled out for Panthers-Chiefs
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<img alt="Carolina Panthers Training Camp" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/tm1_D5nk_xsq8O-Zf9pJOplkpr8=/0x146:2255x1649/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67749723/1267533844.5.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Panthers will be without their veteran left tackle against the Chiefs in Week 9.</p> <p id="K3ocv8"><strong>Update:</strong> Russell Okung did not travel with the Panthers to Kansas City and has been ruled out for tomorrow’s game.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Panthers LT Russell Okung (calf) is not traveling and has been downgraded to out.</p>— Joe Person (@josephperson) <a href="https://twitter.com/josephperson/status/1325137881732698113?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2020</a>
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<p id="GaSH6h">The <a href="https://www.catscratchreader.com/">Panthers</a> have announced that left tackle <span>Russell Okung</span> (calf) is doubtful for Sunday’s Week 9 matchup with the <a href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com">Chiefs</a>. Rookie linebacker/safety <span>Jeremy Chinn</span> Iknee), defensive end <span>Marquis Haynes</span> (shoulder) and defensive tackle <span>Zach Kerr</span> (toe) are all questionable.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Panthers' injury report for Chiefs game.<br>Doubtful: LT Russell Okung (calf)<br>Questionable: S Jeremy Chinn (knee), DE Marquis Haynes (shoulder), DT Zach Kerr (toe)</p>— Joe Person (@josephperson) <a href="https://twitter.com/josephperson/status/1324777369597583363?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2020</a>
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<p id="mjOlOW">Chinn being questionable is good news considering there was legitimate concern that he wouldn’t be available to play earlier in the week. The Panthers defense is already facing an uphill battle against the Chiefs’ juggernaut offense, so being without one of their best players would have not been good for their chances at pulling off an upset.</p>
<p id="LDAPrz">The Panthers are also expected to activate running back <span>Christian McCaffrey</span> this weekend so he can participate in Sunday’s game, but Matt Rhule didn’t go into specifics about how much action McCaffrey would see this weekend.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Rhule says he anticipates RB Christian McCaffrey will be activated to the 53-man roster this weekend for the Chiefs game</p>— Myles Simmons (@MylesASimmons) <a href="https://twitter.com/MylesASimmons/status/1324777213003288576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2020</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Matt Rhule didn't get into specifics about what Christian McCaffrey's role would be Sunday, but did say multiple times that he anticipates him playing.</p>— Alaina Getzenberg (@agetzenberg) <a href="https://twitter.com/agetzenberg/status/1324780779336011780?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2020</a>
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<h3 id="awLjj5">Panthers injury report</h3>
<h4 id="7rgyeo">Out</h4>
<p id="xuh6Yr">N/A</p>
<h4 id="hrfgcL">Doubtful</h4>
<p id="s2uVN9">OT <span>Russell Okung</span> (calf)</p>
<h4 id="XObiz6">Questionable</h4>
<p id="xJioMa">LB/S Jeremy Chinn (knee)<br>DE <span>Marquis Haynes</span> (shoulder)<br>DT <span>Zach Kerr</span> (toe)</p>
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<h4 id="AScqdh">Practice Status</h4>
<p id="asJrUr">Did not participate in practice = 0% of a player’s normal repetitions<br>Limited participation in practice = Less than 100% of a player’s normal repetitions<br>Full participation in practice = 100% of a player’s normal repetitions</p>
<h4 id="9zoEHt">Game Status</h4>
<p id="i7WIKw">Out = Player will not play<br>Doubtful = Player unlikely to play<br>Questionable = Uncertain if player will play</p>
<p id="jBWR7l"></p>
https://www.catscratchreader.com/2020/11/6/21553093/nfl-week-9-panthers-chiefs-injury-report-russell-okung-ruled-out-for-panthersBradley Smith