The Carolina Panthers had an awful game Sunday that saw Cam Newton get benched in the fourth quarter just a few weeks after his heroic return home.
33-10 was the final against the Miami Dolphins.
Christian McCaffrey finished with 10 carries for 35 yards and left with what was deemed a minor ankle injury.
About that.
The Panthers dropped a bombshell of bad news on fans Monday with an update saying McCaffrey is headed back to the IR.
That marks his second stint this year, thus ruling him out for the remainder of the season.
From NFL Now: #Panthers RB Christian McCaffrey is out for the season. pic.twitter.com/roWAFG0h1v
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 29, 2021
This is a huge blow to a Panthers team that still has a shot to claim one of the Wild Card spots in the NFC playoff race.
McCaffrey Gone For The Year
The Panthers are suddenly reeling after getting to 5-5 on the season a few weeks back against the Arizona Cardinals.
But McCaffrey’s absence does not take a huge 2021 producer out of the lineup.
He accounted for two touchdowns in seven games this year and rushed for only 442 yards.
What his absence does do is force Matt Rhule to get creative and not just wait and hope McCaffrey can save the day when healthy.
This is a rough stretch for the star running back.
Christian McCaffrey:
▫️2017: 16 games played
▫️2018: 16 games played
▫️2019: 16 games played
▪️All-Pro
▪️Led NFL in scrimmage yards and TD
▪️Became highest paid RB in history in offseason
▫️2020: 3 games played
▫️2021: 7 games played (out for season) pic.twitter.com/g8kriDEpFA— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) November 29, 2021
He has played in 10 games since the start of the 2020 season and it has been hard to see how Rhule’s offense can work because it has been missing its core piece.
Carolina will now finish the year without McCaffrey and with major questions surrounding Newton following a Week 13 bye.
A bright spot is that a 5-6 record currently holds the final playoff spot in the NFC.
So the Panthers are not out of it at all.
It will just be tough to believe in a serious Super Bowl run after Newton was benched and without McCaffrey for the rest of the way.
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