Just seven days ago, the Carolina Panthers’ defense was basking in the glow of a shutout win over the Atlanta Falcons. It looked like a completely different unit versus the New England Patriots.
A dismantling at the hands of the Patriots flipped the narrative in a hurry, leaving the locker room without many answers. It also forced Carolina to confront the same question it has all season: Can this defense be consistent?
The Patriots piled up 42 unanswered points after Carolina opened the game with a touchdown. The avalanche included breakdowns on special teams, like an 87-yard punt return score that only added to the defensive frustration.