The Carolina Panthers lost on Sunday, and that’s become something of a familiar headline.
The team is now 4-5 for the season after falling to New England. The Patriots won 24-6, and it was a bad night for quarterback Sam Darnold, who said he “didn’t play (his) best football” on Sunday.
“It was a five-alarm fire,” The Charlotte Observer’s Langston Wertz Jr. told WFAE “All Things Considered” host Gwendolyn Glenn on this week’s Time Out for Sports. “I mean, fans were leaving the stands. It was just hard to watch. It was like watching the varsity play the (junior varsity). In year two of (coach) Matt Rhule’s rebuild, the Panthers really seem to be regressing back to where they started.”
Not only that, but Carolina also lost center Matt Paradis, a key player, due to an injury in the game.
Matt Rhule speaks to the media after the game https://t.co/tXXKngVYnF
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) November 7, 2021
Things weren’t much better for the Charlotte Hornets over the last few games. They lost four in a row to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Golden State Warriors, the Sacramento Kings and the L.A. Clippers and were set to face off against the L.A. Lakers on Monday night.
“Old issues are showing up again,” Wertz said. “They can’t rebound. They can’t defend on the interior, and it’s forcing them to scramble to try to gang rebound and protect the interior. But it’s allowing other teams to shoot 3 (pointers).”
It’s been an exciting few days on the college football scene, including when unbeaten Wake Forest lost to the UNC Tar Heels.
“The Tar Heel fans rushed the field after the game,” Wertz said. “It had to feel good for (coach) Mack Brown to get a win like that in a season like this.”
ICYMI: @CoachMackBrown spoke with @MollyAMcGrath following the game on what made this win so special 🐏#CarolinaFootball 🏈 #BeTheOne pic.twitter.com/t61Hba8c74
— Carolina Football (@UNCFootball) November 7, 2021
You can listen to the full conversation above. Here’s a quick look at some other things Glenn and Wertz talk about on this week’s Time Out for Sports.
- The Charlotte 49ers won their homecoming game against the Rice Owls.
- N.C. State beat Florida State 28-14.
- Cary’s Green Level High beat Charlotte’s Ardrey Kell High in the state volleyball tournament.
- In local high school football, South Mecklenburg and Hough are set to play on Friday, as are Julius Chambers and Hickory Ridge.