Carolina Panthers Week 3 awards from victory at Chargers

Derrick Brown – Carolina Panthers DT

Derrick Brown came into the game with his fair share of doubters. The No. 7 overall pick produced a less than stellar display at the Buccaneers in Week 2. But it is easy to forget that he is still trying to find his feet at the next level.

Even the high-end NFL Draft picks need time to adjust. Brown came into his third outing at the Chargers highly motivated and this resulted in a much-improved performance from the defensive tackle.

This was more like what the Carolina Panthers were expecting when they decided to select Brown in the first round. He was a formidable presence to move off the block and even showed a capability to get into the backfield to stop the run or attack fellow rookie Justin Herbert, who was taken one place ahead of the former Auburn sensation.

Brown played with the sort of nastiness that made him a force to be reckoned with at the college level. Not only did he eat up space on the interior, but he also managed to come up with some big plays during what was the defenses best display of the season without a shadow of a doubt.

The lineman eventually finished the game with five combined tackles, four solo tackles, and two crucial tackles for loss. Finding this sort of consistency is going to be key for Brown if he wants to reach his ceiling. But he can look back on his production in this one with a great sense of pride.