Dud No. 2 – Ron Rivera
Ron Rivera earned his “Riverboat” nickname for his gutsy play calling and fast and loose defensive schemes. But the way the Panthers looked Sunday, you’d have thought John Fox was coaching Carolina all over again.
All week long, Rivera’s team was acting cocky and entitled, seemingly annoyed they even had to play the game. They were as unfocused (albeit in a different manner) as Denver was under Fox in Super Bowl XLVIII.
Come game time, the Panthers were wound tighter than a fiddle string and it showed. Rivera had to burn both of his challenges in the first half (only one was successful), and he never really let his athletic quarterback try and take over the game with his legs as he’s been prone to do.
Denver was shutting down Jonathan Stewart and Mike Tolbert and Cam Newton was too amped to hit is receivers in stride or at pace. With a chance to take a fourth-quarter lead, Rivera needed to let Newton do his best Vince Young 2006 Rose Bowl impersonation and win the game himself. Instead, he let his talented (but emotionally immature) quarterback get battered and flustered.
