In what is quickly developing into a lost season, the Panthers tried something different Sunday.

They attempted 30 passes in the cold and rain, compared with 24 rushes in a low-scoring game. Can the Panthers (5-8) do anything right this season?

They couldn’t in the second half during Sunday’s 20-10 loss to the first-place Patriots (8-5). Two of the Panthers’ first three plays were passes, as they spotted Steve Smith facing one-on-one coverage. The throws went incomplete, but it was something unusual for a run-first squad.

Following two initial disappointing series by backup quarterback Matt Moore, injured starter Jake Delhomme morphed into a sideline liaison, trying to calm everyone down and forget about the missed chances. Moore rebounded briefly to connect with Smith on a 41-yard touchdown pass. That, however, was Moore’s only highlight of note.

These results provided further evidence of the Panthers’ pending personnel question marks, especially at quarterback.

Here are the positional grades for the offense.

Quarterback: Lacking confidence should not be a starter’s trait. Moore, in his second start, actually threw for 197 yards (five more than Tom Brady), but had just one NFL-quality completion. Grade: C

Matt Moore threw a long TD pass to Steve Smith but otherwise was unimpressive during Sunday's 20-10 loss.

Running Backs: DeAngelo Williams returned from injury and gained 82 yards on 13 attempts, but he and Jonathan Stewart were bit players in the offensive scheme. They ran hard when given the opportunity. Fullback Brad Hoover also returned to take on defensive linemen on blocks. Grade: B

Receivers/Tight Ends: Outside of Smith’s score, the best thing about this group is the job Smith and Muhsin Muhammad did on downfield blocks. Smith was extremely active in the first half, enduring a big hit from James Sanders and rising quickly with a few chosen remarks. Grade: B

Offensive Line: This unit yielded two sacks but for the most part, provided ample time and space for Moore to make throws. Penalties spoiled the effort. Grade: C

Check back later to see grades for the Panthers' defense, special teams and coaching.

-- JEFF HAWKINS