Four studs from Panthers big win over Buccaneers

Captain Munnerlyn

I said that he needed to have a big game, and he did exactly that. Captain Munnerlyn put together a solid performance on Sunday. In doing so, he showed that the upward momentum he had from last Sunday’s game carried over, and that his good performance in that game may not have been a fluke.

Munnerlyn was tied with Thomas Davis for the team lead in tackles. He recorded eight total and four solo. He seemed aggressive on Sunday, always being in the middle of plays. Although it is not necessarily the best thing that your quarterback is the leader in tackles, for him it is. Especially given the fact that he got off to a rough start last season, he needed to have a game where he was heavily involved. He is now beginning to show that he can be a dependable member of the defense. Especially for depth purposes, this is a major development.

It will be interesting to see what he can do this Thursday against the Pittsburgh Steelers. With the explosiveness of James Conner and the fact that he can make defenders mess, Munnerlyn may be in for a busy evening. He will have to continue to be aggressive and provide a security blanket for the front seven and linebackers in case they can’t get to him. Especially on prime time, this is another huge chance for him to show that he can fit into the defensive scheme and be an impact player.