If the Carolina Panthers want to make the playoffs, they have to fix this.
For the first time in what seems like forever, the Carolina Panthers are in the playoff conversation.
The Panthers are 8-7 with two games left in the regular season. They are in first place in the NFC South.
For Carolina to make the playoffs and go on a Super Bowl run, they have to fix their third-down defense, according to NFL analyst Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report.
"In the last two weeks, the Panthers have allowed first downs on 56 percent of their opponents' third-down attempts," Gagnon wrote. "Only the Raiders and Cowboys have been worse on third down, even though a pass rush that owns the league's worst pressure rate has finally shown some life."
The Panthers are giving up 22.5 points per game on the season. That's good for 13th in the NFL.
Moving forward, Carolina needs to get more stops on third-down so the defense can rest and Bryce Young and Co. can score the ball on offense.
The Panthers are averaging only 19.1 points per game. That's 27th in the league. Perhaps that number will rise if the defense gets off the field more on third-down and gives the offense better field position.
Carolina's final two games of the regular season are against the Seattle Seahawks and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Dave Canales's group has to win both games to clinch the NFC South.