Christian McCaffrey

A Look Ahead: Rams

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It’s finally here. The day that fans have been looking forward to since January. Week one of NFL action is upon us, and the Panthers have the NFC Champions coming to town. Carolina would love to start off fast this year, and they’re going to have quite the test this week. Here is a look ahead to this week one matchup:

LA Rams

Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator

Sean McVay

Defensive Coordinator

Wade Phillips

Key Acquisitions

LB Clay Matthews

S Eric Weddle

Key Losses

DT Ndamukong Suh

FS Lamarcus Joyner

RB CJ Anderson

Key Draft Picks

S Taylor Rapp

RB Darrell Henderson

The Rams didn’t have much roster turnaround this offseason, so they’ll likely be a powerhouse again in 2019. Wide receiver, Cooper Kupp, was injured the majority of 2018, so his return gives LA another weapon. The Rams defense wasn’t as dominant last season as they had hoped, and the losses of Suh and Joyner may have a larger impact than they think.

Panthers

Head Coach

Ron Rivera

Offensive Coordinator

Norv Turner

Defensive Coordinator

Eric Washington

Key Acquisitions

C Matt Paradis

LB Bruce Irvin

CB Javien Elliott

WR Chris Hogan

DT Gerald McCoy

S Tre Boston

Key Losses

LB Thomas Davis

C Ryan Kalil

DE Julius Peppers

Key Draft Picks

DE Brian Burns

OT Greg Little

RB Jordan Scarlett

The Panthers have definitely upgraded the roster, at least on paper, and they hope to start fast. Last season they started 6-2 before Cam’s injury and they’d love to be in that position again this season, minus the injury to Newton. This year’s defense looks to have more of a pass rush and a more complete secondary, and the offense looks more explosive. Most importantly, Carolina is better in the trenches, which is where games are won or lost.

2018 Team Stat Rankings

Rams

Panthers
2nd– 6,738 yds
Total Offense
10th– 5,972 yds
5th– 4,507 yds
Passing Offense
16th– 3,836 yds
3rd– 2,231 yds
Rushing Offense
4th– 2,136 yds
2nd– 32.9 ppg
Scoring Offense
15th– 23.5 ppg
19th– 5,737 yds
Total Defense
15th– 5,651 yds
14th– 3,780 yds
Passing Defense
18th– 3,847 yds
23rd– 1,957 yds
Rushing Defense
12th– 1,804 yds
20th– 24.0 ppg
Points Allowed
19th– 23.9 ppg

Prior to his injury, Cam Newton was having a better statistical season than his MVP year in 2015. There’s no reason to think he can’t pick up where he left off, and a porous Rams’ defense is a great place to start. Christian McCaffrey running the ball makes this offense explosive, and Carolina also utilizes him a lot in the passing game.

Goff, who was just signed to a four year extension worth $134 million, has the weapons to be successful. Goff passed for 4,688 yards, 32 touchdowns and 12 interceptions last year, and he seems to be getting better by the year. Todd Gurley is one of the best running backs in the league, as he is utilized in the running and passing game.

Things to Watch

Carolina

Cam had the second best completion percentage when using playaction passes. Carolina needs to utilize this not only in this game, but all season. The Rams’ defense was 14th against the pass last season, and it appears as if they’ve regressed since 2018. Not to mention, Carolina’s offensive line has improved substantially since last year.

Christian McCaffrey needs to carry the ball early and often. It wouldn’t hurt to include Scarlett and Bonnafon in the game plan either. The Rams’ defense was 23rd against the run in 2018, and it looks like they could have gotten worse with the loss of Suh. McCaffrey will need to be heavily utilized in the passing game too.

Carolina has a lot of speed at receiver, and also a lot of guys that can get a lot of yards after catch. The Rams do have a good secondary, so Carolina’s receivers need to create space. Aquib Talib has lost a step, so Cam needs to take advantage of him and also aging safety, Eric Weddle.

Carolina’s defense didn’t perform up to their standards last year, until Coach Rivera began calling plays. They have upgraded their pass rush significantly this offseason, and also have a better secondary than they did. The Rams use a lot of play action passing, so Rivera needs to game plan for that. Bradberry and Jackson will have their work cut out for them, as will Boston and Reid. Don’t get beat deep! Hopefully, McCoy, Short and company will get to Goff before he throws it deep.

Los Angeles

Jared Goff utilizes the playaction pass more than most quarterbacks, so if LA wants to win this game, they’re going to need that. Having Todd Gurley involved in both facets of the game will help Goff. Carolina’s defense was ranked 18th against the pass in 2018, but they’ve gotten better since.

Todd Gurley is one of the best running backs in the league. If the Rams want to win, they’ll have to find ways to get him the ball. Carolina was decent at stopping the run in 2018, and looks to have only gotten better. However, you can’t stop Gurley. You can only limit him, and even that’s tough.

The Rams’ receivers are talented, and they’re led by Brandon Cooks, Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp. Carolina will have the tough test of knowing where all three (plus Gurley) are on the field. Carolina better hope their pass rush shows up.

The Rams’ defense wasn’t exactly dominating last season, and they seem to have regressed a little bit. The loss of Suh and Joyner hurts, but they still have Aaron Donald wreaking havoc. They also have a good secondary. If the Rams want to win, they’ll have to stop McCaffrey from pounding the ball up the middle.

Keys to a Carolina Win

Utilize ground game.

Use playaction passes.

Limit Todd Gurley’s effectiveness.

Key Matchups

Christian McCaffrey VS Rams’ defensive line.

Curtis Samuel and DJ Moore VS Marcus Peters and Aquib Talib.

Carolina’s offensive line VS Aaron Donald.

Carolina’s pass rush VS Rams’ offensive line.

Bradberry and Jackson VS Cooks and Woods.

Injury Report

The Rams are fully healthy coming into the season. The Panthers, however, have Bruce Irvin and Greg Little on the injury report. It appears as if Little will be out, but Irvin has a small chance to play. If Irvin is out on Sunday, Carolina rookie, Brian Burns, will get more playing time. Carolina’s 2018 fourth round pick, Marquis Haynes, will also get an extended workload.

Prediction

It’s going to be a tough matchup for both teams and a true test for Carolina. Christian McCaffrey will get going early and that’ll set Carolina up for success. Both teams will have success offensively, but ultimately Carolina will take this game at home 30-27

Fun Side Note: Since 2008, Carolina has played the reigning NFC Champs every year. They’ve won three of the last four matchups. 

DIVISION RIVALRIES: Saints

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The Panthers and Saints have one of the biggest rivalries in all of football. Hate runs deep between the two teams, and the rivalry has been heated from the very start. Both Carolina and New Orleans have been in the same division since Carolina’s inaugural year in 1995. From 1995-2001, the Panthers were in the NFC West division, where New Orleans had been since 1970. In 2002, both teams went to the newly formed NFC South, where the rivalry continued.

The Saints and Panthers have played in 48 regular season games and Carolina leads the series 25-23. This has also been a close series regarding total points scored, as Carolina has scored 1,065 and New Orleans has scored 1,031. The Panthers have swept the Saints six times, in 1996, 2003, 2006, 2008, 2012 and 2015. The Saints have swept The Panthers five times, in 2000, 2001, 2010, 2011 and 2017. The Saints also beat the Panthers in their only playoff meeting during the 2017-18 season.

NFC WEST

The first meeting between the Panthers and the Saints came on October 22nd, 1995 at Clemson University, where Carolina played their first season. The Panthers came away with the victory that day, due mainly to Carolina’s defense intercepting Jim Everett four times. The Panthers’ defense was led by Brett Maxie with 2 interceptions, Bubba McDowell with 1 interception and Sam Mills with 1 interception. After winning the first game, New Orleans went on to win 8 out of the next 13 games. It should be noted that Panthers’ Hall of Honor member, Wesley Walls, played for the Saints in 1995. These two teams would have a lot of battles throughout their years in the NFC West, but it wouldn’t hold a candle to what had yet to come.

NFC South 2002-2010

In 2002, the NFL realigned the divisions after they added the Houston Texans as an expansion team. The NFC South was born and the Panthers and Saints remained rivals. Carolina would win five out of the next eight games, from 2002-2005. In 2006, the division got a little tougher. After not getting the contract he wanted in San Diego, quarterback Drew Brees signed a six year deal with New Orleans. Even though the future Hall of Fame quarterback has been a thorn in Carolina’s side, from 2006-2010 Carolina still beat New Orleans six out of ten times. Jake Delhomme, Steve Smith and a nasty Panthers’ defense made it nearly impossible for New Orleans to beat Carolina. Additionally, New Orleans didn’t have that great of a defense. In 2010, Carolina had a rookie quarterback named Jimmy Clausen starting. New Orleans swept Carolina that year, and Carolina went 2-14.

Cam Newton Era

In 2011, Cam Newton was drafted first overall for the Carolina Panthers. Since then, there have been many exciting, high scoring games and last second heroics by both teams. One particular last second win came when Cam led the Carolina offense down the field and threw a touchdown pass to Domenik Hixon with 23 seconds left to beat the Saints in 2013. The week 16 game helped Carolina win the division, and when that touchdown was scored, the stadium shook like never before.

Since Cam was drafted, the Panthers are 8-8 against the Saints. One of those wins came last year with quarterback Kyle Allen at the helm. The fact that these two teams are both 8-8 in regular season meetings in the last eight years, shows how hard they play against each other. Carolina has scored a total of 409 points in the Cam era and New Orleans has scored 434 points in the same time.

New Orleans has been consistently good for the last two years, as their records have been 11-5 in 2017 and 13-3 in 2018. However, it’s hard to gauge what they’ll do this year. Drew Brees is older, their defense is still suspect and they didn’t have the salary cap space to make necessary moves. Saints notable transactions:

Released S Kurt Coleman

Signed RB Latavius Murray

Signed TE Jared Cook

Signed DE Wes Horton

New Orleans didn’t have a lot of cap space to work with, but they also went to the playoffs last year with, essentially, this same team.

Barring major injuries, Carolina should have a decent shot against the Saints. Marty Hurney upgraded the Panthers significantly this offseason, and they look to build on the promising start they had in 2018, where they started the season 6-2. Carolina’s notable transactions:

Released CB Captain Munnerlyn

Re-signed S Eric Reid

Signed C Matt Paradis

Re-signed OT Daryl Williams

Signed DE/OLB Bruce Irvin

Signed WR Chris Hogan

Re-signed DT Kyle Love

Drafted DE/OLB Brian Burns

Drafted OT Greg Little

Signed WR Aldrick Robinson

Signed CB Javien Elliott

Signed DT Gerald McCoy

Signed S Tre Boston

That’s a huge pull for Hurney and the Panthers, and it shows that they’re in win-now mode. Hopefully, it translates into wins on the field in 2019.

What to Expect in 2019

The expectations for the Panthers in the upcoming season, is to split the series with the Saints. Both teams have the talent to sweep the other, but chances are, each will win at home. This is a hard fought battle every time these two teams hit the field, and it should be fun (and exhausting) to watch. Here is a comparison of key players for both teams:

CAROLINA

NEW ORLEANS

Cam

Newton

 ✓

Drew

Brees

Christian

McCaffrey

 = =

Alvin

Kamara

Curtis

Samuel

 ✓

Michael

Thomas

Greg

Olsen

 = =

Jared

Cook

Defense

 ✓

Defense

Cam Newton

VS

Drew Brees

In 14 games, Newton threw for 3,395 yards, 24 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 2018. It should be noted that Cam played injured from week nine to week fourteen.

In 15 games, Brees threw for 3,992 yards, 32 touchdowns and 5 interceptions in 2018.

It’s hard to argue that Brees has had a Hall of Fame career. He has passed for 6,701 yards, 44 touchdowns and 20 interceptions for the Saints in 23 games against Carolina. Newton has 3,238 yards, 21 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 15 games against New Orleans in 15 games. Brees obviously has the edge over Newton in this one. Given Brees’ age and loss of production, as well as Cam being healthy, it could be a lot closer this year. 

Christian McCaffrey 

VS

Alvin Kamara

Last season, Christian McCaffrey had 219 carries for 1,098 yards (5.0 AVG per carry) and 7 touchdowns in 16 games. He also had 107 receptions for 867 yards and 6 touchdowns.

Last season, Alvin Kamara had 194 carries for 883 yards (4.6 AVG per carry) and 14 touchdowns in 15 games. He also had 81 receptions for 709 yards and 4 touchdowns.

Essentially, McCaffrey and Kamara are the same player with similar skill sets. McCaffrey had a better stat line, but he was also the featured back in Carolina, but Kamara shared carries with Mark Ingram. It remains to be seen if Kamara can be consistent with more of the workload. Latavius Murray could also take carries away from him. McCaffrey could possibly take the lead between the two players this season.

Curtis Samuel

VS

Michael Thomas

Last season, Samuel had 39 receptions for 494 touchdowns and 5 touchdowns in 13 games. He missed time due to injury and it took time for him to become more integrated into the offense when he returned.

Last season, Michael Thomas had 125 receptions for 1,405 yards and 9 touchdowns in 16 games.

Thomas wins this matchup based on his consistent performance and the fact that he has more receptions in his first 3 years than any other player in NFL history. Samuel is an unknown element due to his injury history. Samuel was the training camp MVP in the eyes of the coaching staff, but it remains to be seen how it will translate to the games. 

Greg Olsen

VS 

Jared Cook

Olsen, who has had trouble staying healthy the last two years, only had 27 receptions for 291 yards and 4 touchdowns last season, in 9 games. Hopefully, he can stay healthy and get back to his Pro Bowl level, but there are no guarantees.

Last season, Cook has 68 receptions for 896 yards and 6 touchdowns in 16 games with the Raiders.

Olsen and Cook are pretty even. Both players are good pass catchers, both are good blockers and both are good in the red zone. If Olsen were healthy, he’d be ahead of Cook, but the last two years show that Greg might be considered injury prone. The foot injury is tough to recover from. Hopefully Olsen’s foot will be strong and he can return to his Pro Bowl form. 

Panthers’ Defense

VS 

Saints’ Defense

Last season, Carolina’s defense was in the middle of the league, as they allowed the 15th most yards per game and the 19th most points per game.

Last season, New Orlean’s defense was also in the middle of the league, as they allowed the 14th most yards per game and also the 14th most points per game.

Carolina’s defense should be much improved this year, with the additions of Gerald McCoy, Bruce Irvin, Brian Burns, Tre Boston and Javien Elliott. Carolina will also have a multi-look defense instead of a base 4-3 like in year’s past, so it will be interesting to see how much of a pass rush will be generated this season. New Orleans did little to upgrade their defense. They’ll likely be middle of the pack again, but against Carolina, they will likely struggle. How can any defense account for McCaffrey, Newton, Samuel, Moore and Olsen? 

If Carolina stays healthy, they should at least split the series. There’s a possibility that Carolina could sweep if Brees’ play continues to decline. Mainly, it could happen if things continue to click for Carolina. This could be the year that the Panthers retake their thrones as the Kings of the South.

DIVISION RIVALRIES: Buccaneers

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The rivalries have ran deep in the NFC South ever since it was formed in 2002. Tampa Bay and Carolina’s rivalry is talked about the least, but it’s a rivalry nonetheless. The two teams have played each other 37 times since Carolina’s inaugural season in 1995. Carolina leads the all-time series 23-14. The Panthers and Bucs have played each other less than the other rivals because they weren’t in the same division until 2002.

These two teams have had some dog fights over the years, but the most heated ones came in the mid-2000s. Players from those teams have been quoted as saying that they were some of the most physically and mentally draining games in their career. Carolina legends Jake Delhomme, Stephen Davis, Steve Smith, Muhsin Muhammad, Brad Hoover, Mike Rucker, Julius Peppers, Dan Morgan, Kris Jenkins and Mike Minter battling against the Bucs legends Warren Sapp, Simeon Rice, Derrick Brooks, John Lynch, Ronde Barber and Mike Alstott.

2002-2010

In the years of their NFC South rivalry before Cam Newton, Carolina won 11 games and lost 7. Carolina’s largest margin of victory was 20 points and the average point total for their wins was a little over 9 points. Tampa’s largest margin of victory was 24 points and the average point total for their wins was 13 points. Carolina swept Tampa in 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2009. Tampa swept Carolina in 2002 and 2010.

Cam Newton Era 2011-Present

In the years since Cam has been in the league, Carolina has all but dominated Tampa Bay. Carolina has won 11 out of 16 games by an average of 16 points. In the 5 Tampa wins, they averaged 5 points per win. It should be noted that two Carolina wins and one loss was with Derek Anderson starting at quarterback. In the last eight years, Carolina has scored a total of 417 points against Tampa, while Tampa has only scored 269 points against Carolina in the same time span. The Panthers have swept the Bucs in five of the last eight years.

Team Transactions

It’s hard to tell what Tampa will do this year, but on paper they have a decent roster. New head coach, Bruce Arians, has always had a knack for getting teams to overachieve. Tampa did little to upgrade their roster during the offseason. Tampa’s notable transactions:

Released DE Vinny Curry

Re-signed OT Donovan Smith

Re-Signed RB Peyton Barber

Traded WR Desean Jackson to Philadelphia

Released DT Gerald McCoy

Signed DT Ndamukong Suh

Drafted LB Devin White from LSU

Signed S Darian Stewart

That’s not a whole lot of movement for a team that only won 5 games in 2018.

Barring any major injuries, Carolina should do well against the Bucs. Marty Hurney upgraded the Panthers significantly this offseason, and they look to build on the promising start they had in 2018, where they started the season 6-2. Carolina’s notable transactions:

Released CB Captain Munnerlyn

Re-signed S Eric Reid

Signed C Matt Paradis

Re-signed OT Daryl Williams

Signed DE/OLB Bruce Irvin

Signed WR Chris Hogan

Re-signed DT Kyle Love

Drafted DE/OLB Brian Burns

Drafted OT Greg Little

Signed WR Aldrick Robinson

Signed CB Javien Elliott

Signed DT Gerald McCoy

Signed S Tre Boston

That’s a huge pull for Hurney and the Panthers, and it shows that they’re in win-now mode. Hopefully, it translates into wins on the field in 2019.

What to Expect in 2019

The expectations for 2019 are that Carolina sweeps Tampa Bay. When you compare both sides of the ball, Carolina dominates on paper. If Cam Newton stays healthy, he is far and away better than Jameis Winston. Here is a comparison of key players from both teams:

CAROLINA

TAMPA

Cam

Newton

 ✓

Jameis

Winston

Christian

McCaffrey

 ✓

Peyton

Barber

Curtis

Samuel

 ✓

Mike

Evans

Greg

Olsen

 = =

OJ

Howard

Defense

 ✓

Defense

QB Cam Newton

VS

QB Jameis Winston

In 14 games, Newton threw for 3,395 yards, 24 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 2018.

In 11 games, Winston threw for 2,992 yards, 19 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in 2018.

Newton, when healthy, wins this battle every time. In his career, Newton has passed for 2,929 yards, 21 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in 13 total games. He’s also ran for 520 yards and 9 touchdowns. Winston, who has had some good games against Carolina, has passed for 1,859 yards, 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in seven total games. 

RB Christian McCaffrey 

VS

RB Peyton Barber

Last season, Christian McCaffrey had 219 carries for 1,098 yards (5.0 AVG per carry) and 7 touchdowns in 16 games. He also had 107 receptions for 867 yards and 6 touchdowns.

Last season, Peyton Barber had 234 carries for 871 yards (3.7 AVG per carry) and 5 touchdowns in 16 games. He also had 20 receptions for 92 yards and 1 touchdown.

There’s no doubt that McCaffrey wins this matchup in regards to offensive production. He is a Pro Bowl Caliber running back, who is an asset in the running game and passing game. 

WR Curtis Samuel 

VS

WR Mike Evans

Last season, Samuel had 39 receptions for 494 touchdowns and 5 touchdowns in 13 games. He missed time due to injury and it took time for him to become more integrated into the offense when he returned.

Last season, Evans had 86 receptions for 1,524 yards and 8 touchdowns in 16 games. While Evans has been dominant in the NFL, he’s struggled against James Bradberry and the Panthers. Last season, Evans had a total of 5 receptions for 64 yards against Carolina, so that should be something to watch.

Evans wins this matchup based purely on his dominance and the unknowns about Samuel. Samuel was the 2019 training camp MVP, but this isn’t based on potential. Samuel is very talented and has all the tools to be a special player. Time will tell….

TE Greg Olsen

VS

TE OJ Howard

Olsen, who has had trouble staying healthy the last two years, only had 27 receptions for 291 yards and 4 touchdowns last season, in 9 games. Hopefully, he can stay healthy and get back to his Pro Bowl level, but there are no guarantees.

Last season, Howard had 34 receptions for 565 yards and 5 touchdowns in 10 games. 2 of those touchdowns came against Carolina in week 9.

Word out of Tampa is, Howard will be used even more this year in the passing game. Olsen has had a healthy offseason and looks to come back strong this year. With so many unknowns about both players, Olsen and Howard are tied in how much of an impact they’ll have in these games. Hopefully, Olsen will be back to his old self. 

Panthers’ Defense

VS 

Tampa Bay’s Defense

Last season, Carolina’s defense was in the middle of the league, as they allowed the 15th most yards per game and the 19th most points per game.

Tampa’s defense was one of the worst in the league, as they were ranked 27th in yards allowed and 31st in points allowed.

Carolina’s defense should be much improved this year, with the additions of Gerald McCoy, Bruce Irvin, Brian Burns, Tre Boston and Javien Elliott. Carolina will also have a multi-look defense instead of a base 4-3 like in year’s past, so it will be interesting to see how much of a pass rush will be generated this season. Tampa’s defense didn’t change much, as they added rookie linebacker, Devin White, and essentially swapped Gerald McCoy for Ndamukong Suh. Barring any issues for Carolina, the Panthers’ defense should dominate against the Buccaneers. 

Things rarely go as planned in the NFL. If Carolina stays healthy, they should no doubt sweep Tampa Bay, and convincingly. Even though new head coach, Bruce Arians, is a great coach, the fact that the entire coaching staff was replaced this offseason, puts them behind from the beginning. Although, anything can happen.

By: Norris Thornburg August 17, 2019

Rush Review: Training Camp Day #15 (Second Joint Practice)

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#1. Today was the final practice of training camp at Wofford College for the 2019 season. There was plenty of speculation among Carolina Panthers fans about if this was the very last time the city of Spartanburg SC will be the summer home for the team. The current contract expired today and there has not been any statement by Carolina Panthers owner Mr. David Tepper or by anyone in the Wofford administration.

#2. Players who did not practice today: C Matt Paradis (vet day), LB Shaq Thompson (vet day), DT Gerald McCoy (vet day), TE Ian Thomas (rib contusion), CB Kevon Seymour (hamstring), C Tyler Larsen (unknown) and K Graham Gano (sore leg).  LB/DE Brian Burns came out in full pads but after warming up he was told by the medical staff to take the day off and to do work on the sidelines. He has a slight ankle bruise but expects to play in the game Friday night.

#3. Players getting first team reps on defense: S Tre Boston at FS, CB Javien Elliott at nickel CB, LB Jermaine Carter Jr. and DT Vernon Butler Jr. Players getting first team reps on offense: C John Yarbrough and TE Chris Manhertz.

#4. Positive plays made by the Carolina Panthers offense: QB Cam Newton was able to make Bills rookie DT Ed Oliver jump offsides three times in a row. He was then pulled from the field and got a good cussing out from his position coach. RB Christian McCaffrey runs right up the middle of the defense untouched for about 30 yards. On the very next play Newton threw a deep TD pass to WR Curtis Samuel who was covered by Bills CB Tre’Davious White. TE Greg Olsen makes a spectacular one hand catch behind his back from a Newton pass. TE Chris Manhertz makes back to back catches over good coverage by Bills LB Shaq Lawson. QB Kyle Allen connected on a deep ball with WR Torrey Smith for about 40 yards. RB Reggie Bonnafon runs in for a TD on the last play of the day.

#5. Negative plays made by the Carolina Panthers offense: QB Kyle Allen was the second team QB and one of his passes was intercepted by Bills LB Deon Lacey after the ball bounced off the hands of WR Terry Godwin. The offense got a delay of game penalty that caused head coach Ron Rivera to start cussing very loudly. LT Greg Little gave up a quick pressure to Bills LB Jerry Hughes. Newton was picked of by Bills CB Ryan Lewis. Panthers QBs Newton, Allen and Will Grier had about two-thirds of their pass deflected during team drills.

#6. Positive plays made by the Carolina Panthers defense: LB Luke Kuechly got a pass deflection while covering Bills TE Tommy Sweeney. S Colin Jones got a pass deflection while covering Bills WR Ray-Ray McCloud. CB Donte Jackson got a pass deflection while covering Bills WR Robert Foster. CB Josh Thornton got an interception while covering Bills WR Cam Phillips.

#7. Negative plays made by the Carolina Panthers defense: Bills WR Zay Jones had a very acrobatic TD catch from QB Josh Allen. Billls WR John Brown caught a quick slant pass from Allen for a TD. QB Matt Barkley threw a TD to WR Duke Williams. Barkley threw another TD to RB Christian Wade. Barkley threw his final TD pass to WR Isaiah McKenzie.

#8. Positive play made by the Carolina Panthers special teams: During the gunner drills CB Javien Elliott did a juke and swim move to split the two Buffalo Bills blockers and got a free release down the field. This caused a huge uproar from the Panthers sidelines as special team coaches Chase Blackburn and Ben Jacobs raced down to congratulate him along with several teammates.

#9. Negative play made by the Carolina Panthers special teams: During field goal drills K Joey Slye went 5 for 8 on making successful kicks. Those three misses looked bad too. Prior to Elliott’s successful attempt at gunner all of the other Panthers players were stifled by Bills blockers which got their sideline hyped for most of the period.

#10. Panthers G Norman Price was down on the ground for a few moments then helped up by teammates. He was then carted off by trainers. LB/DE Bruce Irvin and Bills rookie OT Cody Ford had to be separated after Irvin took exception to a really low chop block by Ford. WR Chris Hogan also got into a shouting match with Bills DT LT Walton but both players were quickly separated. DL Bryan Cox Jr. was pulled over on I-85 North near Kings Mountain NC which is about 30 miles west of Charlotte NC. State troopers gave him a ticket for speeding from doing 90 m.p.h in a 65 m.p.h zone, possession of marijuana and possession of paraphernalia. The preseason game between these two teams starts at 7:00 PM EST at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte NC.

#WhatARush #KeepPounding

Rush Review: Training Camp Day #13

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#1. Cam Newton was giving practice off as a scheduled rest day. Player missing practice due to injury: TE Ian Thomas (rib contusion) and C Tyler Larsen (unknown). Players returning to practice from injury: DT Kawann Short (shin kicked) and RB Jordan Scarlett (back).

#2. The little league softball team that was coached by TE Greg Olsen was the special guests allowed to be on the sidelines today.  The faces these kids had as they interacted with the players were a joy to watch. There was also several members of the military here as well. They spoke with players like LB Luke Kuechly, RB Christian McCaffrey and LB Shaq Thompson during special teams drills.

#3. The team came out in shells again for practice. It was said on yesterday that today’s practice was going to be full pads. With Tuesday and Wednesday being joint practices with the Buffalo Bills it will be full pads worn for the final two days at Camp Wofford.

#4. Players who got first team reps: QB Kyle Allen, S Tre Boston and CB Javien Elliott (small nickel CB). Players who got 2nd team reps: OL Dennis Daley (LG), OT Greg Little (LT) and DB Ross Cockrell (outside CB). WR Jaydon Hickens, WR Rashad Ross. WR Terry Godwin and WR Chris Hogan did all the punt return work.

#5. These are the highlights from team drills: CB James Bradberry got a pass deflection in the end zone on a pass intended for WR DJ Moore thrown by Allen. Olsen caught a TD pass from Allen during red zone period. WR Curtis Samuel had a huge catch on a deep ball over CB Javien Elliott from a pass by Allen. Moore gets revenge on Bradberry by making an awesome catch on the sideline that included him tip toeing both feet before going out of bounds. WR Aldrick Robinson caught a TD pass from Allen while being covered by CB Josh Thorton. Olsen also caught a TD from Allen while beight tightly guarded by LB Shaq Thompson. McCaffrey caught a screen pass from Allen then took it all the way to the end zone.  Jackson bounced back by making a nice pass deflection will covering Hogan on a pass by QB Will Grier. CB Corn Elder made a perfect break on the ball to knock down a pass to WR Torrey Smith on a Grier pass. DB Cole Luke jumped up high and made a spectacular pass deflection on a QB Taylor Heinicke ball in the end zone meant for Hogan. Hogan made it for it by catching a TD over DB Rashaan Gaulden and S Colin Jones on a Grier deep ball. TE Chris Manhertz catches 2 TDs from Grier passes with one being over Kuechly and the other being over S Eric Reid. Boston got a pretty pass deflection while covering Samuel on a deep pass by Allen. LB Antoine Williams drop into coverage and made a pretty smooth INT on a Grier pass intended TE Jason Vander Lean.

#6. After practice was over Reid told every player in the secondary that they need to get the JUGGS machine out because they dropped several interceptions in practice today. This turned into a 30 minute session. LB Jermaine Carter Jr. left practice early with what seems to be a leg issue. Head coach Ron Rivera made it very clear that he will throw out any player who tries to fight during the joint practices with the Buffalo Bills.

 

#WhatARush #KeepPounding

Rush Review: Training Camp Day #12

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#1. The team practiced today in just their shells (helmet and shorts). The heat index on the field peaked at 115 degrees. The water breaks were more frequent today.

#2. These players did not practice today: TE Ian Thomas (rib contusion), CB Kevon Seymour (hamstring), RB Jordan Scarlett (back) and C Tyler Larsen (unknown). These players returned to practice from injury: K Graham Gano (sore leg) and LB Luke Kuechly (head precaution). Today was the first practice for newly signed C John Yarbrough who is wearing #64.

#3. The following players got first team reps on defense: CB Corn Elder at small nickel CB, S Ross Cockrell at free safety and DB Rashaan Gaulden at big nickel CB. The following players got reps as returners: RB Cameron Artis-Payne, WR Terry Godwin and WR Jaydon Mickens.

#4. During 1 on 1 individual drills for DL vs. OL a few players stood out. LB/DE Bruce Irvin used his hands in various ways to disengage from his blockers. LB/DE Mario Addison displayed elite quickness with spin moves and push & pull techniques to win his battles. LB/DE Marquis Haynes really showed that his ability to get a really low bend underneath his blocker is something he can do consistently. C Matt Paradis and OT Daryl Williams appear to be getting into full strength as they more than held their own against NT Dontari Poe and DT Kawann Short in consecutive reps. LG Greg Van Roten made it difficult for DT Gerald McCoy to get past him on multiple attempts.

#5. During 11 on 11 team drills the defense mostly dominated all the periods. CB Donte Jackson got a timely pass deflection on a ball intended for WR Torrey Smith from a pass from QB Cam Newton. CB James Bradberry made a great leap to knock the ball away from WR Curtis Samuel on a Newton pass. Cockrell almost had an interception on a deep pass for WR DJ Moore that was thrown by Newton.  CB Lorenzo Doss almost intercepted a ball thrown to Godwin on a pass from QB Will Grier. Elder made a great pass deflection on a ball thrown to TE Olsen from a pass by QB Kyle Allen. The offense made only a couple nice plays. Samuel caught a deep pass from Newton on the right sideline while being covered by Jackson. WR Hogan made three exciting catches on passes from Grier and Allen. RB Christian McCaffrey continues to run quick and fast between the tackles while making several defenders miss. RB Reggie Bonnafon was able to get several reps with the 1st team offense. He broke off two nice runs of at least 10 yards and made about 3 nice catches too.

#6. DT Kawann Short left practice early after getting kicked in his left shin. Head coach Rivera said it was more precaution than anything to be concerned about. S Damian Parms also left early with right leg pain. RG Trai Turner left practice for about 30 minutes but came back and finished up. The team will practice in full pads for the last three practices this week. Monday will be the last day to practice before the Buffalo Bills come for joint practices on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings.  Cockrell is making plays at FS throughout the last several practices. S Tre Boston is still working with the second team defense.

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