CHARLOTTE — From outside the locker room, it’s possible to imagine frustration bubbling up between Carolina’s offense and defense.
But inside it, the leaders across the defense say that isn’t the case.
Several veterans said they didn’t put the blame on the other side of the ball, after a 1-3 start to the season, that has seen the offense struggle to piece together productive drives, leaving the defense on the field for long stretches.
“That’s the last thing we want to do,” linebacker Frankie Luvu said when asked about a potential division. “We’re all in this together. We win together; we lose together.”
Issues with time of possession have popped up throughout the season, but that gap was the most evident it has been this season in Sunday’s 26-16 loss to the Arizona Cardinals.
The Cardinals held the ball for 38:35 compared to Carolina’s 21:25. The Panthers saw similar problems pop up in Week 1 against the Browns, when they were on offense for 21:34, just nine more seconds than in Week 4.
Most stark was the discrepancy in second-half possession when Arizona had a 21:39 to 8:21 edge over Carolina. The Cardinals outscored the Panthers 23-6 in the second half after going into halftime down 10-3.
The Panthers’ lone touchdown in the first half was off a Luvu interception returned for a 33-yard touchdown, as he continued to play the best football of his career. Luvu was Carolina’s leading tackler against the Cardinals, combining for career-high 11 total stops, adding a tackle for loss and a pass deflection.
“I thought our defense was kind of fighting and hanging in there, keeping it a close game and just kind of waiting for the offense,” head coach Matt Rhule said. “In the end, I think the time of possession in the second half was brutal against our defense. The defense has to get off the field, don’t get me wrong, but they just needed some spells.”
Cornerback Donte Jackson said he wasn’t frustrated by the gap in time of possession. Instead, he challenged the defense to play all four quarters, regardless of how long they were on the field.
“My job is to come here on Sundays, play cornerback, and play defense,” Jackson said. “Regardless of how many snaps, regardless of whatever. I can’t complain about being on the field playing corner for however many plays when that’s my job.
“I literally showed up to the stadium to do that. We can’t make it about anything else but us just getting better on defense and doing what we’ve got to do.”
Defensive end Brian Burns, who came down with the Panthers’ only sack of Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray, echoed that sentiment.
“It’s just hard to stop somebody for so long, but that’s our goal,” Burns said. “We have to finish strong, no matter how fast we start early. That was our goal, going into the fourth, to get a fourth-quarter shutout, and we didn’t get it.”
Burns’ assessment of the Panthers’ fourth-quarter struggles is a valid one. The Panthers allowed Arizona 16 of its 26 points in the fourth quarter and allowed New Orleans all 14 of its points in the fourth last week.
Derrick Brown had a similar message.
“If they score more points than us, we didn’t do a good enough job,” Brown said. “That’s how every single man in that room looks at it. That’s just our mindset about it. We don’t think we played well, and we lost. (We) gave up points in the fourth quarter. So that’s on us.”
But the reality is Carolina’s offense hasn’t exactly helped its defense out, especially in the last 15 minutes.
The Panthers’ offense set up two consecutive short touchdown drives for Arizona in the fourth after Baker Mayfield threw an interception, then turned the ball over on downs on consecutive series. Arizona’s average drive started at the Carolina 28-yard line in the fourth quarter.
When asked about how to keep the locker room from splintering between the offense and defense, Rhule expressed little concern.
“I don’t ever worry about that,” Rhule said. “We have elite men and leaders in that room on defense – when you have Shaq (Thompson), Frankie, Donte, Brian, and those guys.
“At the end of the day, defensively, I know they expect to pitch a shutout in the fourth quarter. Even if the ball’s on the 4, to hold them to a field goal. I’m sure they’re disappointed, but they’re leaders, and they’re men that believe in what we’re doing.”
And those leaders on the defense would agree.
“It’s Week 4, so if you’re hanging your head, you’re down and out this early, you don’t stand a chance in December or January,” Jackson said. “That’s all. We’ve just got to keep working, keep coming to work, ready to play, ready to get better. … I know the guys on this team, know the guys in this building. That’s all we’re going to do. That’s the message.”
1 / 102
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marquise Brown is tackled by Carolina Panthers linebacker Frankie Luvu during the first half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Rusty Jones)
Rusty Jones/Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
2 / 102
S – 42 – Sam Franklin
P – 10 – Johnny Hekker
3 / 102
S – 27 – Marquis Blair
TE – 84 – Stephen Sullivan
Carolina Panthers
4 / 102
CB – 26 – Donte Jackson
DE – 53 – Brian Burns
Chanelle Smith-Walker/Carolina Panthers
5 / 102
CB – 8 – Jaycee Horn
6 / 102
LB – 49 – Frankie Luvu
LB – 7 – Shaq Thompson
7 / 102
T – 72 – Taylor Moton
T – 75 – Cameron Irving
8 / 102
T – 75 – Cameron Irving
LB – 57 – Damien Wilson
DE – 98 – Marquis Hayens
9 / 102
QB – 6 – Baker Mayfield
10 / 102
CB – 26 – Donte Jackson
11 / 102
TE – 80 – Ian Thomas
12 / 102
Carolina Panthers tight end Ian Thomas is tackled by Arizona Cardinals linebacker Isaiah Simmons during the first half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Rusty Jones)
Rusty Jones/Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
13 / 102
Arizona Cardinals linebacker Tanner Vallejo forces a fumble by Carolina Panthers wide receiver Shi Smith during the first half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, in Charlotte, N.C. The Panthers recovered. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman)
Jacob Kupferman/Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
14 / 102
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Shi Smith runs against the Arizona Cardinals during the first half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman)
Jacob Kupferman/Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
15 / 102
Carolina Panthers quarterback Baker Mayfield passes against the Arizona Cardinals during the first half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman)
Jacob Kupferman/Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
16 / 102
Carolina Panthers quarterback Baker Mayfield passes over Arizona Cardinals linebacker Devon Kennard during the first half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Rusty Jones)
Rusty Jones/Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
17 / 102
Carolina Panthers offensive tackle Ikem Ekwonu plays against the Arizona Cardinals during the first half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Rusty Jones)
Rusty Jones/Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
18 / 102
Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey is tackled by Arizona Cardinals linebacker Devon Kennard during the first half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Rusty Jones)
Rusty Jones/Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
19 / 102
Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey runs against the Arizona Cardinals during the first half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Rusty Jones)
Rusty Jones/Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
23 / 102
LB – 49 – Frankie Luvu
CB – 26 – Donte Jackson
LB – 7 – Shaq Thompson
25 / 102
QB – 6 – Baker Mayfield
Carolina Panthers
27 / 102
CB – 8 – Jaycee Horn
31 / 102
LB – 55 – Cory Littleton
S – 25 – Xavier Woods
Kenny Richmond/Carolina Panthers
32 / 102
S – 25 – Xavier Woods
Kenny Richmond/Carolina Panthers
33 / 102
DE – 53 – Brian Burns
CB – 24 – C.J. Henderson
Kenny Richmond/Carolina Panthers
34 / 102
S – 25 – Xavier Woods
Kenny Richmond/Carolina Panthers
36 / 102
Carolina Panthers
38 / 102
DE – 97 – Yetur Gross-Matos
DE – 98 – Marquis Haynes
39 / 102
LB – 49 – Frankie Luvu
41 / 102
DE – 53 – Brian Burns
43 / 102
DT – 99 – Matt Ioannidis
45 / 102
S – 25 – Xavier Woods
Chanelle Smith-Walker/Carolina Panthers
46 / 102
DT – 78 – Marquan McCall
Chanelle Smith-Walker/Carolina Panthers
48 / 102
LB – 49 – Frankie Luvu
DT – 99 – Matt Ioannidis
49 / 102
Carolina Panthers
50 / 102
CB – 8 – Jaycee Horn
51 / 102
LB – 49 – Frankie Luvu
52 / 102
QB – 6 – Baker Mayfield
RB – 22 – Christian McCaffrey
Carolina Panthers
53 / 102
S – 42 – Sam Franklin Jr.
LB – 55 – Cory Littleton
Carolina Panthers
59 / 102
DT – 99 – Matt Ioannidis
60 / 102
CB – 24 – C.J. Henderson
61 / 102
LB – 7 – Shaq Thompson
DE – 53 – Brian Burns
62 / 102
K – 4 – Eddy Pineiro
Carolina Panthers
63 / 102
Carolina Panthers
64 / 102
LB – 49 – Frankie Luvu
Carolina Panthers
65 / 102
WR – 2 – D.J. Moore
Carolina Panthers
66 / 102
LB – 49 – Frankie Luvu
Carolina Panthers
67 / 102
Carolina Panthers
68 / 102
WR – 15 – Laviska Shenault Jr.
Carolina Panthers
69 / 102
Carolina Panthers
70 / 102
WR – 15 – Laviska Shenault Jr.
Carolina Panthers
71 / 102
WR – 15 – Laviska Shenault Jr.
Carolina Panthers
72 / 102
QB – 6 – Baker Mayfield
RB – 22 – Christian McCaffrey
Carolina Panthers
73 / 102
WR – 2 – D.J. Moore
Carolina Panthers
74 / 102
S – 21 – Jeremy Chinn
76 / 102
LB – 55 – Cory Littleton
77 / 102
WR – 15 – Laviska Shenault Jr.
78 / 102
RB – 22 – Christian McCaffrey
79 / 102
CB – 8 – Jaycee Horn
CB – 24 – C.J. Henderson
81 / 102
QB – 6 – Baker Mayfield
82 / 102
DE – 53 – Brian Burns
83 / 102
CB – 24 – C.J. Henderson
S – 25 – Xavier Woods
84 / 102
CB – 26 – Donte Jackson
85 / 102
LB – 7 – Shaq Thompson
86 / 102
DB – 38 – Myles Hartsfield
87 / 102
LB – 49 – Frankie Luvu
DE – 53 – Brian Burns
89 / 102
DE – 53 – Brian Burns
90 / 102
P – 10 – Johnny Hekker
S – 42 – Sam Franklin
TE – 82 – Tommy Tremble
91 / 102
S – 42 – Sam Franklin
TE – 80 – Ian Thomas
92 / 102
S – 42 – Sam Franklin
P – 10 – Johnny Hekker
93 / 102
WR – 3 – Robbie Anderson
95 / 102
LB – 55 – Cory Littleton
96 / 102
LS – 44 – J.J. Jansen
TE – 45 – Giovanni Ricci
97 / 102
DE – 53 – Brian Burns
98 / 102
LB – 49 – Frankie Luvu
99 / 102
Chanelle Smith-Walker/Carolina Panthers
100 / 102
RB – 30 – Chuba Hubbard
101 / 102
DE – 53 – Brian Burns
Chanelle Smith-Walker/Carolina Panthers
102 / 102
RB – 30 – Chuba Hubbard
https://www.panthers.com/news/panthers-defense-sticking-with-the-offense-after-arizona-loss