BALTIMORE -- A few thoughts on the Carolina Panthers' 38-10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium:
What it means: Carolina coach Ron Rivera said it took him three days to get over being "pissed off" about his team's performance after a 37-19 loss to Pittsburgh a week ago. It may take him longer to get over this one. It'll have little to do with former Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith making Rivera's defense look bad with a pair of first-half touchdowns. It'll have everything to do with how undisciplined his entire team has become.
From losing gap control against the running game to having basically no pass rush to having 12 men on the field -- once on offense and once on special teams -- in critical situations to multiple pass interference penalties to the inability to protect quarterback Cam Newton, Carolina has become a shell of the team it was in the first two games. If the Panthers don't find a way to eliminate the mistakes, particularly on defense, they are headed for the crash many predicted before the season. Seventy-five points in two games after allowing only 21 in the first two games won't win you many games. The last time Carolina gave up 37-plus points in consecutive games was 1998. It finished 4-12.
Stock watch: Cornerback Melvin White was victimized on two Smith touchdowns in the first half, and then was replaced by Josh Norman. The first wasn't entirely White's fault. Smith caught a pass that was tipped by tight end Owen Daniels for a 61-yard score. But Smith was open because he'd beaten White with a double move. On Smith's second touchdown, a 21-yarder, White was beaten so badly that he couldn't stop Carolina's all-time leading receiver despite holding onto his arm. One of White's strengths has been keeping the receiver in front of him. Now he may be looking over his shoulder wondering if he's lost a starting job.
Game ball: Not a lot of options after that performance. I'll go with Jerricho Cotchery, the veteran free-agent wide receiver the Panthers signed to replace Smith. He had five catches for 80 yards, including a 30-yarder near the sideline with the defender tight on him.
What's next: The Panthers (2-2) return home to face the Chicago Bears. The Bears have won the last three against Carolina and are 2-0 against Rivera, a former player and coach for Chicago.
