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It took Panthers head coach Ron Rivera all of three seconds into his postgame press conference Sunday to drop his famous adage, “missed opportunities.”
Concerning the Panthers 30-27 regular-season opener loss to Los Angeles, Rivera’s favorite expression is quite appropriate.
DJ Moore committed a crucial fumble in the first half.
Cam Newton’s performance was uneven, at best, including a critical interception halfway through the fourth quarter.
Newton also had a backward pass at the Panthers own 10 that got away from Moore and was ruled a fumble. Los Angeles recovered the ball and promptly scored a touchdown in two plays.
All in all, Sunday was a frustrating exercise for Panthers fans, who hold higher expectations for their team this season.
Of course, Sunday’s matchup was always meant to be daunting. The Rams are defending NFC Champions and have a host of prolific talents on either side of the ball.
In particular, the Rams pass-rushing phenom Aaron Donald was a scary matchup for the newly rebuilt offensive line.
Yet, while the sting of defeat lingers in the Charlotte air heavy as humidity, perspective is equally important for Panther fans and media alike.
As simple and non-satisfactory as that may be for some, it’s a significant truth.
The shoulder injury that impacted Newton’s performance in the 2018 season, and ultimately ended it prematurely, lead to plenty of questions and doubt this offseason. As he turned 30 years old, his uncertain health and future (and the Panthers season) became a talking point.
“Can Cam Newton stay healthy this season?” That question filled Charlotte sports talk airwaves all offseason.
It started with his shoulder surgery, stayed strong throughout his “no throwing” period and lingered on throughout scheduled off days in training camp.
Sunday was an extension of that process and comeback. It was also the first step in answering the “what if” question regarding his health.
For one game, the answer was yes.
Carolina faithful saw Newton play four full quarters of tackle football. He made a few plays, took a few shots and overall looked like a guy who was shaking the rust off.
Was it perfect? No.
he admitted after the game there was a mulligan or two he would like back from Sunday.
“Nobody has played the perfect game, but in my position, I wish I could have a couple throws back,” he said.
Moving forward, the talk all week will be about the offensive improvements that are necessary.
Carolina will need to limit turnovers.
It’ll need to make a few more big plays.
Newton will have to make a few more big throws and play better in general.
Yet, while all of that is fair game, it’s important to remember that all can be improved upon. Why? Because Newton is still healthy after Game One.
It might not be the victory Panthers fans were hoping for heading into the game, but it’s a victory they should gladly accept.