The 2022 NFL season is a strange season for the Carolina Panthers.
While the team is 5-8 this season, they find themselves in a position to reach the playoffs.
However, their season should have seen them ahead of the 6-7 Tampa Buccaneers, if things went right for them.
But their season had two things that went wrong for them, costing them the first place spot in the NFC South.
1. Quarterback Injuries During Preseason Games
The Panthers came into the 2022 preseason with four quarterbacks on their roster.
However, injuries to Matt Corral and Sam Darnold during the preseason gave Baker Mayfield the starting job.
While the race for starting quarterback was originally a race between Mayfield and Darnold, Corral was gunning for the job as well.
Don’t tell Panthers rookie QB Matt Corral that he’s not part of the competition for the starting job this year. pic.twitter.com/D7sf46pqu0
— Steve Reed (@SteveReedAP) July 26, 2022
But his Lisfranc injury has taken him out for the 2022 season.
Had Darnold and Corral stayed healthy, the Panthers might have gotten better results with them starting over Mayfield.
2. Panthers Waited Too Long Before Firing Matt Rhule
The biggest problem for the Panthers this season was their former head coach, Matt Rhule.
Despite having two disappointing seasons, the team kept him around for a third season.
But after his 1-4 start to 2022, the Panthers had enough of Rhule.
However, he damaged the team with his poor decisions and leaves his replacement, Steve Wilks, with a mess to clean up.
Had the Panthers gone with another coach sooner, maybe the team has a better record.
But one thing is for sure, if Rhule wasn’t there, the Panthers don’t get Mayfield to save his job.
