Carolina Panthers: Grading the rushing unit in 2017

The Carolina Panthers continued to let the league know that their rushing game should not be overlooked.

The 2017 season wasn’t a complete disappointment for the Carolina Panthers universe as the team put together an 11-5 record before being ousted in the first round of the playoffs. Looking back at this season there’s a lot to take away from how the team performed. In breaking down many components of the team, the rushing unit continued to perform at an optimal level; powering the team to much of the success it reached this year. This is a grade review of the Carolina Panthers rushing unit.

As a group, the Carolina Panthers run game is to be feared. They consistently pressure opposing defenses down the field and rack up large number of yards. In 2017 the unit earned 131.4 yards per game and ended the season with 15 touchdowns. This continues the historical trend of the Panthers earning more than 100 yards a game which dates back well over the last 5+ seasons.

In 2017 the team earned more than 100 yards in 12 of their 16 regular season games, showing that they have a rushing unit that is a threat to any opposing defense. This also speaks to the consistency in play calling to trust in the run that has been built over the years. With the wealth of talent that the Panthers have in this area, it’s understandable why they continue to see success when moving the ball on the ground.

More from Carolina Panthers

Individually, the Panthers running game begins with Cam Newton. While the team made the effort to keep him out of danger this season, that didn’t stop him from earning the bulk of the Panthers yards on the ground. He ended the year with 754 yards and six touchdowns. This includes designed runs along with those passing plays that broke down. An interesting note is that he also has the most yards per attempt at 5.4.

Following behind Newton is long time tailback, Jonathan Stewart. Stewart reconstructed his deal at the end of last season and signed a one year contract. He performed well this season and remained healthy, which is the main knock against him throughout his career. He earned 680 yards and six touchdowns, which are his lowest totals since back in 2013 and 2014. It will be interesting to see what the Panthers decide to do with Stewart, especially with their plan to develop Christian McCaffrey as their main running option.

That brings the conversation to McCaffrey. The rookie came into this season expecting to be built into a playmaker that the team can use in multiple facets. That’s exactly what happened as he earned more than 1,000 yards from scrimmage. Coach Ron Rivera has stated that he wants to get the ball into McCaffrey’s hands more often and that’s a compelling plan heading into next season.

Next: Grading each 2017 first-round pick after rookie year

Questions still stand on what the Panthers will do with Cameron Artis-Payne. The third-year player hasn’t panned out to be the starter that many thought he would be. In fact, his stats have consistently regressed each season. Many wonder if he can be a compliment to McCaffrey or whether the Panthers should look for another option to build their stable. If Stewart leaves during the off season, expect the Panthers to find another option to add to their rushing core.

Overall Grade: A-

The Panthers put up the fourth-best rushing offense in the league this season; reminding everyone that the offensive leadership for the Panthers has built a unit that can be trusted to move the ball down the field. While there are some decisions needed around the future of this unit, they deserve the grade of A- for how they performed thought the 2017 season.

Home/Carolina Panthers