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Panthers Star Calls Out Teammates After Another Disastrous Loss

Panthers veteran WR Diontae Johnson wasn't happy with the team's performance in Week 7.

By Jovan Alford

Oct 13, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Diontae Johnson (5) makes his way back to the locker room after the end of the second half against the Atlanta Falcons at Bank of America Stadium.
Oct 13, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Diontae Johnson (5) makes his way back to the locker room after the end of the second half against the Atlanta Falcons at Bank of America Stadium. / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
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The 2024 regular season has been one to forget for first-year head coach Dave Canales and the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers have struggled to find an identity on both sides of the ball, which has led to poor play.

That poor play reared its ugly head in Carolina’s 33-point Week 7 road loss to the Washington Commanders. Since their Week 3 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, which was Andy Dalton’s first start, the Panthers have been outscored by 21.7 points per game.

As for Carolina’s offense, they are averaging 15.3 points per game during this four-game losing streak. In Sunday’s loss to the Commanders, the Panthers only had 180 yards of total offense, with their only touchdown coming on the ground from RB Chuba Hubbard.

Carolina’s passing game struggled mightily as Dalton completed 11-of-16 passes for 93 yards and two interceptions. 

One would think that the Panthers could’ve taken advantage of Washington’s pass defense, but that wasn’t the case. After the game, veteran receiver Diontae Johnson voiced his frustration as he had one reception for 17 yards.

“I mean . . . I mean . . . frustrated, but I can’t play every position on the field, and make every play,” Johnson said (h/t Anthony Rizzuti of Panthers Wire). “So everybody gotta do their job, when it comes down to it. But yeah, it’s tough. But I just tell myself to keep going, regardless.”

You can’t blame Johnson for being frustrated and inadvertently calling out his teammates after that ridiculous showing. Each player must be on the same accord and doing their job for Carolina to be successful.

When you have the defense getting destroyed on the ground, and the offense not sustaining drives, you won't many games in the NFL or any level of football.

However, based on how this team was constructed in the offseason, the signs were there that this would be a long season with growing pains.

The 28-year-old Johnson has been the subject of trade rumors lately leading into next month’s trade deadline. But the latest thing we heard from Carolina was that they were reluctant to move him.

Nevertheless, with things getting progressively worse, the Panthers might be better off trading the wide receiver to help accelerate this rebuild or whatever they are doing.

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