Miles Sanders knows what you’re thinking. And to an extent, he agrees. The 26-year-old running back, who signed a four-year, $25.4 million deal with the Panthers in March, is also frustrated by his poor performance in the early goings of his Carolina career.
“I’m a little pissed off with how I’ve been playing,” Sanders said. “It’s not a secret — everybody has seen how I’ve been playing. It’s not good at all.” Sanders missed the Week 6 loss to the Miami Dolphins with a shoulder injury. But following the bye week, he was a full participant in Wednesday’s practice.
While the injury was obviously a setback, his performance on the field prior to the ailment left a lot to be desired, too.
After making the Pro Bowl during his final season with the Philadelphia Eagles, Sanders is averaging just 3.1 yards per carry in his first year with the Panthers. And despite being the starting running back in the first five games of the season, he’s been outplayed by his backup, third-year running back Chuba Hubbard, on a consistent basis.
With all of that in mind, Sanders spent the bye week self-scouting his miscues, which included a pair of lost fumbles in the critical moments of two tough losses.
“Criticize every little thing as if you were coaching,” Sanders said about his self-evaluation. “Just make sure you get better at it.” Hubbard has produced 242 rushing yards and a touchdown on 54 carries this season. While Sanders has toted the rock 61 times, he’s only collected 190 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Sanders ranks 47th in NFL rushing yards, with seven quarterbacks ranked ahead of him.
