87. Luckily for the Panthers, Case Keenum made the start for Los Angeles and failed to perform once again. Linebacker Thomas Davis had a sack and picked off Keenum in the second half, leading to a field goal that put Carolina up by 10 late. Mario Addison also came up big with multiple sacks of Keenum on Sunday. Cam Newton continued to take big hits, including two sacks from Aaron Donald alone. Eugene Sims and Mark Barron were two other Rams who got in on the sack party against Newton. Offensive line issues have left Newton on his back more often than he would appreciate. That will be a big focus for the Panthers when they are drafting in the top 10 this spring.
<p>Next Week: Carolina will host the Chiefs next Sunday for an intriguing game between two historically good defenses. Flying back from the west coast for the first time since week one will be something to watch for the Panthers. It’s do or die for the Panthers right now, and the season is on the line.</p>
<p>Playoff hopes: Seeing the Falcons win on Thursday Night Football squandered the Panthers chances of making some type of comeback. No one could have imagined the conference champions taking such a dramatic plunge. It’s now time to keep next season in mind and compete for a job next season.</p>. 3-5. Previous: . Carolina Panthers. 23. team