4 instant takeaways from the Panthers Week 3 win at Chargers
By Dean Jones
Brian Burns was sensational
The Carolina Panthers’ improvement on defense was thanks in no small part to the exceptional performance of Brian Burns. The defensive end was nothing short of sensational and was a relentless force on the line of scrimmage.
Phil Snow’s experiment using Burns as an outside linebacker or even dropping him into coverage appears over. And we can can all be thankful for that.
Burns got back to doing what he does best. That is getting after the quarterback and making game-changing plays that dramatically altered the course of the contest.
His forced fumbled in the first half was his first sack of the season. Judging by Burns’ overall contribution in this one, there could be plenty more on the way.
In fairness to the former first-round pick, he has been one of the bright sparks on defense during the season. Burns has been much better stopping the run and got pressure on occasions. But it would be a huge surprise if there wasn’t more to come from the player now the penny has finally dropped with his defensive coordinator.
The Chargers had no answer for Burns, who finished the game with two tackles, one sack, one forced fumble, and one pass deflection. He is taking the responsibility of being the Panthers’ No. 1 pass-rushing option seriously and his performance at SoFi Stadium reflected this.