As wild of a game it was and as crazy of a result as it would’ve been, Week 8’s clash with the Atlanta Falcons didn’t go the Carolina Panthers’ way.
Regardless, we’re coming out of the weekend with more good than bad and a handful of encouraging takeaways. Here they are . . .
The backfield belongs to D'Onta Foreman
You’re not going to find a replacement for Christian McCaffrey, on any roster in the NFL. But the Panthers have already found their new lead dog.
And that’s D’Onta Foreman, who posted his second straight 100-yard performance since the team’s trade of McCaffrey. The fifth-year back pounded Atlanta for 118 yards (87 of which came after contact) on 26 carries while collecting a single-game career-high three touchdowns.
Even though Chuba Hubbard will factor back into the running game and cut into that workload once he returns from injury, this backfield belongs to Foreman—who has given this Carolina offense some reliable firepower.
Derrick Brown has arrived
As far as meeting the expectations of the seventh overall pick he was taken with back in 2020, Brown began his career behind the proverbial eight ball. It’d be tough for any defensive tackle, specifically one that’s looked at primarily as a run stuffer, to meet that high of an expectation.
But, after two largely okay seasons to start his pro tenure, Brown has become the anchor this franchise drafted him to be.
The 24-year-old’s emergent campaign continued on Sunday, with a career-high 12 tackles and half a sack. His 12 tackles were the most for any Panthers defensive tackle since the stat was made available in 2000.
Carolina has a decision ahead of them on Brown’s fifth-year option this offseason—one that’ll be quite easy to make if he keeps this type of play going.
That was fun
Look, this loss stings. The Panthers were one kick away (at two different times) from actually staking their claim to the top spot in the NFC South.
And although that didn’t come to be, did anyone expect this two weeks ago? Did anyone see the then 1-5 Panthers—who fired their head coach, traded their best player and were on their fourth-string quarterback—putting up such a fight?
Nope.
Carolina was bent on Sunday, but they never broke. They were tried, tested and left for defeat, but kept punching—pounding, even.
So kudos to you, Steve Wilks, for making this team—one that was sentenced to a silent death by many less than 20 days ago—watchable.
