A weekly look at what the Carolina Panthers must fix:
The Panthers have the NFL's worst red zone offense, scoring only three touchdowns in 10 trips inside their opponent's 20-yard line. They were 0-for-3 in Sunday's 38-10 loss at Baltimore. Next up is Chicago with the sixth-best defense in red zone efficiency, allowing touchdowns only 45 percent of the time.
The film shows Carolina's ineptness comes from mistakes and the inability to consistently create third-and-short. On Sunday's opening drive, the Panthers had a first down at the Ravens' 19. The first play was a run for no yards and the second a 2-yard gain. On third-and-8, wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin pushed off the defender to negate a catch near the first-down marker. On third-and-18, quarterback Cam Newton took an 12-yard sack that was unavoidable because there was so much pressure coming from the left and right side.
Carolina punted and came away with no points.
On their first drive of the second half, the Panthers had first down at the Baltimore 18. After runs of 3 and 4 yards, Newton missed the snap out of the shotgun, recovered it and scrambled out of bounds for an 8-yard loss.
Three points.
It's a common theme. In four trips inside the red zone during a Week 2 win against Detroit the Panthers had four plays for negative yards, one on a sack and three on runs. They began the season 0-for-4 on third down attempts inside the red zone and didn't make one against the Ravens.
The good news for Carolina is Chicago has allowed opponents 20 trips inside the red zone. That's the second most in the NFL behind Oakland with 21.
The bad news is Carolina is unwilling to turn Newton loose in the run game while he still recovers from offseason ankle surgery and fractured ribs suffered in August. Newton has been a big factor in the red zone with his legs the past three seasons, third only to running backs Adrian Peterson and Marshawn Lynch in rushing touchdowns with 28.
He's not now. That's a factor. But the biggest factor, coach Ron Rivera said, is "it's self-inflicted."