NFL Power Rankings, Week 15: Packers take top seed, Eagles sparked by Jalen Hurts

Drew Lock was on fire for the Broncos, but the Carolina Panthers still somehow found a way to make it close. They scored 17 in the final quarter to pull within five points, but then failed to close this one out.

According to Dean Jones of Cat Crave, this has been the status quo for the Panthers in 2020. Jones pointed out in his takeaways from the loss that their defense keeps them in games but there are issues when it comes to managing things late — and he says both Teddy Bridgewater and offensive coordinator Joe Brady have had their share of gaffes.

"“Once again, the Carolina Panthers got within a score and were in the red-zone with a shot to tie the game. Instead, yet more disappointing game management in a critical situation resulted in a delay of game penalty and eventually settling for a Joey Slye field goal. Sound familiar? This has been the story of the 2020 season. Whether it’s offensive coordinator Joe Brady isn’t getting the plays in quick enough or Teddy Bridgewater is trying to do too much at the line of scrimmage, it just isn’t good enough and screams a lack of awareness or ability to adjust quickly.” — Jones, Cat Crave"

At 4-9 now, the Panthers aren’t going to be doing anything this season. That doesn’t mean the final three games aren’t important. The coaching staff can use this time to evaluate their players and work on their communication.

This is a young staff and a rebuilding roster. They aren’t where they need to be but they have made strides, which is something.