Carolina Panthers vs. Houston Texans: Halftime Notes

These are the halftime notes for the Carolina Panthers in their first preseason game of the 2017 season.

It is certainly exciting to have Carolina Panthers’ football back and it made it just a little better as they take a 17-10 lead into halftime over the Houston Texans. There was plenty of fireworks as the Panthers’ two touchdowns came on long pass plays.

The first came when Derek Anderson connected for 32 yards with Kelvin Benjamin in the first quarter. Then in the second quarter, Joe Webb connected with Damiere Byrd for a 50-yard touchdown.

These are some of the other notes for the Carolina Panthers from the first half.

Kelvin Benjamin shines in first quarter

The play of the first quarter came on the Carolina Panthers’ second drive when Derek Anderson connected with wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin on a 32-yard touchdown pass.

It was a perfect throw by Anderson as he put it in position where only Benjamin could get it. The big wide receiver was able to climb the ladder and pull in the catch while draped by Texans’ cornerback Jonathan Joseph.

That wasn’t the only play for Benjamin though as he also had a 17-yard catch on the first play of the game. The route was a simple in route but Benjamin stopped after making the catch to turn back towards the sideline picking up yards after the catch thanks to a beautiful stiff arm.

While it was a small sample size, Benjamin looks like he did during his rookie year as he has slimmed down. This could be a great sign of things to come.

Kawann Short proving he is worth that big contract

The other bright spot from the first quarter was the Carolina Panthers’ pass rush. They were bringing a steady dose of pressure on Texans’ quarterback Tom Savage led by Kawann Short.

Short, who signed a big contract extension this offseason, on the very first play of the game almost came away with a sack but did end up forcing Savage into a bad throw. However, he wasn’t done there and two plays later was able to get that sack.

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When Short is bringing pressure up the middle, this defense is very tough to beat for opposing quarterbacks. They are not able to step up into the pocket which either forces them to run or throw an errant pass.

Injuries

The Carolina Panthers didn’t escape the first half without a few injuries, although the severity is still unknown. In the first quarter, defensive tackle Vernon Butler appeared to suffer a left leg injury on a screen play. According to Charlotte Observer’s Joe Person, he was eventually taken back to the locker room.

Vernon Butler being carted to the locker room.
— Joe Person (@josephperson) August 10, 2017

The other injury took place in the second quarter on an incomplete pass intended for Brenton Bersin. The pass from Joe Webb was intended for Bersin but was under-thrown. Texans’ safety Kurtis Drummond, coming from the middle of the field, tried to make a play. However, the Texans’ player missed the pass and ended up colliding into Bersin’s leg and one of his teammates. The Panthers’ wide receiver did not return to the game after that play.

Christian McCaffrey Update

All eyes were on first round draft pick Christian McCaffrey as he gets his first taste of the NFL. The coaching staff didn’t waste any time as the rookie got a carry on the second play of the game for the offense for a modest two yard gain.

The best run of the half though came on the second drive as McCaffrey followed his blockers off the left side, picking up 12 yards. The former Stanford running back got plenty of work in that half as he finished with seven carries for 33 yards and had one passing target.

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The one surprise was the fact that he wasn’t used on special teams though even though he was listed as the starting punt returner. It will be interesting to see if the coaching staff decides to use the rookie in the second half or if his night is done.

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