Carolina handed the play-calling duties to the Browns during their Week 7 bye after an 0-6 start. The Panthers earned their only win of the season in Week 8, but the offense continued to struggle. In the past three contests, Carolina has scored 15 points, 13 points and 13 points, respectively.
“This will have little to no impact on Thomas’ long-term trajectory. He’s very good as a coach and a person,” Reich noted of OC.
With porous blocking and a lack of targets that generate separation, Bryce Young, the No. 1 overall pick, has struggled. In eight starts, the rookie ranks last among 33 qualifying QBs in yards per attempt (5.4), 29th in passer rating (75.9), 25th in completion percentage (62.8) and tied for 25th in TD-INT ratio (8-7).
The Panthers’ offense has been stale all season, with a lack of a rushing attack to help support their young quarterback. Notably, along the way, Young picked up bad habits, including poor footwork, that plagued his struggles.
Reich dismissed the reversal of play as a significant change, noting that only about 10% of the offense would change, and the process would still be collaborative.
The play-calling duties, especially with a young quarterback at the helm, speaks to the pressure Reich is under in his first year in Carolina. The 1-8 Panthers have the worst record in the NFL but do not own the rights to the No. 1 pick after trading away to draft Young.
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