The Carolina Panthers may just be a bit sleepless tonight.
Here’s everything we know from the Week 3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks:
Final score: Seahawks 37, Panthers 27
Keys to the game
- Much like Carolina did to them last year, Seattle pounded and grounded themselves in establishing their offense. Seahawks rushers, led by lead back Kenneth Walker III, rushed for 149 yards and two touchdowns on 29 tries.
- Conversely, the Panthers got almost nothing going out of their backfield. Running backs Miles Sanders and Chuba Hubbard combined for 26 yards on 11 attempts.
- Carolina’s passing game was much better than it was in its first two outings, as backup Andy Dalton came through with 361 passing yards on a career-high 58 chucks. But at 6.2 yards per attempt, it still wasn’t consistent enough—especially against a banged up Seahawks secondary. Plus, their seven false starts—perhaps aided by the 12th Man—didn’t help.
It was over when . . .
Down 29-20 with just under five minutes remaining in the game, the Panthers took one last gasp—but it may have ended with some turf pellets in Dalton’s mouth. On a fourth-and-7 from their own 35 yard-line, Dalton took a sack that resulted in a trivial 8-yard loss and a turnover on downs.
Seattle really put the game to bed just five plays later, when quarterback Geno Smith found wide receiver Jake Bobo in the back of the end zone for a 5-yard touchdown.
Players of the game
- WR Adam Thielen: 11 receptions, 145 yards, two touchdowns
- OLB Brian Burns: four tackles (three for a loss), 1.0 sack
- QB Andy Dalton: 34-for-58, 361 passing yards, two touchdowns
What's next?
The Panthers (0-3) will go back home to host the Minnesota Vikings (0-3) next Sunday afternoon.
