First win in books, Panthers, Frank Reich welcome Colts

The timing of Frank Reich’s second game as the Carolina Panthers’ head coach couldn’t be better after he won his first one last week.

When the Indianapolis Colts visit Charlotte, North Carolina, on Sunday, Reich will get to see his old team on the other side. The Panthers will undoubtedly prioritize producing offense, while the Colts are eager to address defensive lapses.

Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin stated, “I have a lot of love and respect for who Frank is, but he’s on the other side now.”

The Colts (3-5) have been struggling, while the Panthers (1-6) were the last NFL team to win a game this season after upsetting the Houston Texans, 15-13, last week. Indianapolis has dropped from atop the AFC South to the bottom after losing three straight games.

Carolina, which is currently last in the NFC South, will have a quick turnaround next Thursday when they play the Chicago Bears (2-6) in a short week.

“We’ve got to just continue to find ways for us to take the next step,” Reich stated.

Reich spent more than four seasons with the Colts, finishing 40-33-1 overall. On November 7, 2022, he was let go.

Reich remarked, “I don’t really want to rehash that.” “I don’t want to stand up here and make this a personal thing, because it’s not.”

The Colts’ coach, Shane Steichen, expressed his admiration for Reich and his understanding of the game. Reich was formerly a backup quarterback before becoming a coach.

Steichen tried to reduce the danger of injury by having his players perform a walkthrough on Wednesday instead of a complete workout.

He remarked, “The NFL season is long.” allowing these guys the chance to enjoy a mental day. It seemed like the best time to act was now.

Indianapolis has given up an NFL-high 28.6 points per game, making them the only club in the league to score 20 points or more in every game. With 18.1 points per game on average, Carolina is ranked 25th in the NFL.

Last week, Steichen was constantly questioned about maintaining leads and, in particular, about whether he need to play more conservatively in the second half to give running back Jonathan Taylor the ball.

Both clubs committed to rookie quarterbacks selected in the April draft for their future. With the Panthers, overall No. 1 pick Bryce Young finally registered a victory; however, Anthony Richardson, selected at No. 4, is out for the season after undergoing shoulder surgery. Having appeared in four Colts games, he exuded confidence and hope.

Indianapolis has thrived for brief periods of time when Gardner Minshew fills in as quarterback when Richardson is out injured. Many Carolinas fans are familiar with him from his time as an East Carolina college quarterback.

Who plays quarterback for the Colts may not matter if Taylor can get going. Although teammate Zack Moss is second in the NFL in rushing this season with 589 yards, he is coming off a season-high 95 rushing yards last week against the New Orleans Saints.

The proper player on the field at the appropriate time is crucial, according to Steichen.

“We have stuff that (Taylor) is tagged on, same thing with Moss,” said Steichen. “We attempt to take advantage of the strong hand. Taylor is an elite manipulator.”

Austin Corbett, a right guard for Carolina who is vital to the Panthers at the line of scrimmage, will play in his second game of the season this weekend.

“It’s sure good to have him back and continue to build with him being right in there at the center of things for us,” Reich stated.

Vonn Bell, a safety (quad), could be back for the Panthers as he resumed practice on Wednesday.

Both groups have suffered losses to New Orleans and triumphed over the Texans.

Franklin has nearly twice as many tackles (102) as any other player on the Indianapolis team. Carolina is 5-2 all-time vs. the Colts, including 2-1 in home games.