Panthers seek better, more-focused special-teams play

TROY HULL | THE CHARLOTTE POST

The Carolina Panthers' Chandler Wooten (right) closes in Isaiah McKenzie's fumble after he was hit by Sam Franklin Jr. in Carolina's 27-13 loss Sunday at Bank of America Stadium. Carolina fell to 1-7, making the Panthers and Chicago Bears the NFL's only one-win teams.

Before rookie quarterback Bryce Young turned two short passes to running backs in the flat into a pair of momentum-turning pick-sixes, the Carolina Panthers’ special teams provided the first big opportunity during last Sunday’s outing against the Indianapolis Colts at Bank of America Stadium.

After Young engineered back-to-back three-and-out series, Johnny Hekker lifted a punt to Isaiah McKenzie, who was separated from the ball with a well-timed, crushing hit by Sam Franklin Jr.

Chandler Wooten recovered the fumble, setting up the Panthers at their 48. Two runs by Chuba Hubbard and the Panthers produced a first down, but the drive stalled after two incomplete passes and the first of four sacks.
The Panthers’ defense appeared to pitch their own three-and-and out, but Eku Leota, playing in his second NFL game, was busted for offside, which provided the Colts with a fresh set of downs.

Twelve plays later, Matt Gay opened the scoring by connecting on a 26-yard field goal. The Colts, who entered Sunday on a three-game losing streak, never trailed in 27-13 victory.

While Young’s indecisive play garnered notable attention, Panthers coach Frank Reich made a point address the special teams mistakes during his postgame press conference.

“You can't win football games when you make special teams penalties like that,” Reich said.

Ihmir Smith-Marsette carving out return role

An undrafted free agent, Leota has yet to register a tackle in two outings with the Panthers.

In his NFL debut against the Houston Texans on Oct. 29, Leota played six snaps on defense and eight on special teams. Against the Colts, his workload increased by four plays on special teams.
Leota, an Asheville native, was returned to the practice squad after the Colts’ game.

One of the few players hanging around the locker room following Sunday’s loss, punt returner Ihmir Smith-Marsette rehashed what Reich expressed about the extra penalties during his post-game speech to the players.

“We just have to eliminate them,” Smith-Marsette said. “Our goal is to play penalty-free. You can’t win games when you have penalties on special teams backing up the offense. It’s a spark killer. A drive killer. You can’t start with the ball in your hands, going back in a negative direction.”

But that’s mostly the way things have gone for the 1-7 Panthers, one of two NFL teams with just one win. The Arizona Cardinals are 1-8.

Dicaprio Bootle (holding) and Franklin (unsportsmanlike conduct) also were flagged for special team miscues.

“We’ve got to clean it up,” Smith-Marsette said. “That’s not us. We just got to clean it up.”

Reich summed up his displeasure: “Entirely too many penalties.”

Reich: ‘Very frustrating’

Since being acquired from the Kansas City Chiefs on Aug. 29, Smith-Marsette, a wide receiver by trade, has yet to catch a pass. Offensive coordinator Thomas Brown said during his Tuesday press conference that rookie Jonathan Mingo will continue to absorb the positional playing time.

“Because of Mingo’s emergence, it’s been hard, at times, to take him off the grass and put somebody else in there,” Brown said, “but (Smith-Marsette has) done a nice job for us at practice.”

Without much of an offensive role, Smith-Marsette has emerged as the Panthers’ top punt return option over the past few outings. He has compiled 129 return yards on 19 attempts.
His long remains 24 yards, which he executed against the Colts as the Panthers attempted to rally from a 14-point deficit with 4:58 remaining in the fourth quarter. Smith-Marsette said he was one step away and “it was to the house,” he said, “but they caught me.”

Standing before his locker, Smith-Marsette shook his head, obviously thinking if he had outrun the final defender and made it to the end zone, the Panthers would have pulled to within a score, boosting their chance at a comeback.

“Can’t get caught,” he said.

But he was and two plays later, Young threw his third ill-advised interception, cementing the deflating defeat.

"Very frustrating,” Reich said. “Early in that (Colts) game we had three penalties that were devastating penalties. Two of them extend drives that they end up getting points on.

“You can't do that. You can't do that and be a good football team.”

The Panthers will attempt to rebound on the road against the Chicago Bears (2-7) tonight. The host Bears have dropped their past two games.

In a matchup of two of the NFL’s worst teams, minimizing special team mistakes will help the Panthers “move on … move forward,” Smith-Marsette said.

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