ANALYSIS: “Week 6 presented the Carolina Panthers with a golden opportunity. After peeling off three consecutive wins to get above .500, the Panthers faced their biggest test of 2020: a home date with the one-loss Bears.

The Panthers needed such a win both to bolster their resume and to keep pace with the New Orleans Saints and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC South. Alas, their offense struggled in the 23-16 loss.

The Panthers mustered only 112 yards on the ground, averaging less than four yards per carry. Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater wasn’t sharp, throwing a pair of interceptions and posting a passer rating of 50.4. Carolina turned it over three times and converted only three of their 13 third-down attempts.

“The Panthers appear to be stuck in the in-between,” Davenport said. “If Sunday’s loss was any indication, they aren’t on the level