If Panthers head coach Frank Reich’s seat was not sizzling sufficient earlier than Thursday evening, the temperature has most definitely been raised after.
Carolina dropped a 16-13 resolution to Chicago on “Thursday Night time Soccer.” It was one other underwhelming efficiency from one of many worst groups within the league, as Reich’s crew noticed its file fall to 1-Eight on the season.
The Panthers had the ball within the remaining minutes of the competition with an opportunity to tie or win the sport. Carolina had made its option to the Chicago 41-yard line after changing on a 4th & 2, giving rookie QB Bryce Younger and the offense a possibility down by three.
Nonetheless, the offense stalled out as Younger threw three consecutive incompletions to arrange fourth down with 1:44 remaining in regulation. As a substitute of placing religion in his offense to get a primary down, Reich referred to as for kicker Eddy Pineiro to aim a 59-yard subject aim to tie the sport.
Pineiro’s try wasn’t even shut, falling properly brief and barely to the left of the goalposts. The Bears regained possession and ran the clock out after securing a primary down.
The Bears take over with the lead after the missed FG#CARvsCHI on Prime Video
Additionally accessible on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/ViemQuLxNT— NFL (@NFL) November 10, 2023
After the sport, Reich admitted that there have been “blended opinions” on the choice to strive for the tie slightly than belief his offense to get a primary down.
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“It was a tricky resolution,” Reich mentioned of the sector aim try. “There have been blended opinions on what we should always do. That is my name. I’ve seen us make 60-yarders in observe. Felt like there was a little bit little bit of a breeze at our again. In the event you simply take a look at the pure percentages, I feel the pure share play is to kick it.”
Piniero had nailed two mid-range subject targets earlier within the contest, however the 28-year-old is just not identified for proudly owning an excessively highly effective leg. His longest profitable subject aim is 56 yards, that means that had he sunk the try on the finish of the Bears sport, he would have set a brand new career-high.
“Do I second guess myself over it? I imply, yeah, after we missed it, yeah I did,” Reich mentioned about not going for it. “The one cause why possibly you go for it there — despite the fact that the share play is to kick it — is as a result of if we make it, we nonetheless have an opportunity to win the sport, and never simply tie. There was time left, it wasn’t like there was simply 20 seconds to go. So yeah, that thought did undergo my thoughts.”
It is comprehensible why Reich did not have full religion in Younger and the offense to select up 10 yards. In any case, the Panthers managed to realize simply 213 whole yards on the evening.
Nonetheless, if Reich had been planning on kicking a subject aim all alongside, then he ought to have referred to as for a run on third & 10 slightly than strive for a cross. On the very least, Carolina might have picked up a few yards to make the try extra manageable for Pineiro, albeit possible burning a timeout within the course of.
Regardless, it is one other questionable alternative by Carolina’s head coach in what had been a disappointing season for the Panthers. With practically every week and a half off earlier than their subsequent sport, followers must wait and see if Reich is again on the sidelines the subsequent time the Panthers take the sector.
