Here are our Week 3 awards from the Carolina Panthers following their incredible win over the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium.
It seemed like a long time coming, but the Carolina Panthers are on the board thanks to a 21-16 win at the Los Angeles Chargers.
This was new head coach Matt Rhule’s first taste of victory at the next level after a turbulent start to life with the Carolina Panthers. A severely disrupted offseason that also included no preseason games meant it was going to take time for the players and coaching staff to adjust following significant changes across the board. But the way they applied themselves at SoFi Stadium left plenty of reasons to be encouraged.
The Panthers had to grind it out at the end, but they put themselves in a strong position following a dominant first-half performance.
Their opening to proceedings was a stark contrast to that which they were unable to recover from in Week 2 at the Buccaneers. If the roster can continue this trend during the remaining games, then it has the potential to keep them competitive, at the very least.
If coming into the game on a ten-game losing streak going back to November last year left confidence at an all-time low, it didn’t come across on the gridiron. And perhaps not having star running back Christian McCaffrey to lean on galvanized the group in the face of adversity in order to get a huge monkey off their backs.
Here are our Week 3 award winners from an eye-catching triumph for the Panthers, who went into the game as 6.5-point underdogs.
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.
Curtis Samuel – Carolina Panthers WR
This had all the makings of a breakout game for Curtis Samuel. There were high hopes that the do-it-all offensive weapon could replicate some of the numbers needed in Christian McCaffrey’s absence. But it proved to be another frustrating afternoon for the player.
Samuel did see more in the way of touches at the Chargers, which only heightens the level of disappointment regarding his overall production. The former Ohio State standout caught four balls thrown his way for 45 yards. But he mustered just seven yards rushing from four carries.
This continues to be a problem for both the player and offensive coordinator Joe Brady, who was more than eager for Samuel to showcase his incredible skillset when the opportunity arises. Something is just not clicking at the moment, which is not only hampering the second-round pick’s production, but also his strength at the bargaining table next spring.
This might just be an early-season blip as Samuel finds his place in the Carolina Panthers’ new offense. However, if this continues before the trade deadline then it might result in the organization fielding calls for a player they might end up losing for nothing next year.
Samuel has accumulated 11 catches for 96 yards over the first three games of the campaign. He wasn’t aided by Brady’s intent to run him up the middle, so if the former LSU passing guru can find the solution to maximize his worth, then it might be the springboard behind this offense becoming even better.
Greg Little – Carolina Panthers OT
This was not the easiest of games for Greg Little to come into the starting lineup. It didn’t take long for Chargers’ star pass-rusher Joey Bosa to figure out that he was going to get more joy up against the reserve left tackle rather than an elite protector in Taylor Moton and this spelled nothing but bad news for the former second-round pick.
Little was clearly dealing with an injury that forced him to miss some reps during the game. But he was getting a rough ride from Bosa and others that probably played its part in the lineman feeling the strain.
It was hard to pick someone for the Missing in Action Award given the improvements made across the board. And it is easy to forget that this was Little’s first taste of competitive action in quite some time.
Hopefully, for the player and the Panthers, Okung will be back at the earliest possible time. There were some questions regarding the Pro Bowler’s health prior to the season, but his production on the edge has been top drawer through the first two weeks.
As for Little, he continues to be a work in progress. He went through his fair share of struggles as a rookie and giving him one more year to learn behind a Super Bowl winner like Okung is going to be a tremendous boost for his overall development.
Juston Burris – Carolina Panthers S
It’s been a rough start to Juston Burris‘ time with the Carolina Panthers. The safety was ranked the NFL’s worst at the position by Pro Football Focus through the first two weeks of the season. And that’s why Sunday’s performance was a big surprise.
Burris provided an assured presence on the backend alongside Tre Boston during what was undeniably his best display of the campaign. He was able to help out in the passing game when needed and the defensive back also came up to the second level to assist with great success.
There is still much work to be done for Burris, but this was a step in the right direction.
The free-agent signing might be a veteran player who has more than held his own during his time in the NFL. But they also need some preseason games to hone their craft and get back up to speed.
Burris was also adjusting to a new environment, even though he did play his college football at North Carolina. This showing would have been a real boost to his confidence and one he can build on as the season progresses.
He finished the Panthers’ victory at SoFi Stadium with eight combined tackles, seven solo tackles, and a tackle for loss. Burris’ contribution also came in for special praise from Matt Rhule, which was exactly what the player and Carolina needed.
Joey Slye – Carolina Panthers K
This was a game that came down to field position and making scoring opportunities count. The Carolina Panthers had the benefit of Joey Slye‘s outstanding kicking performance throughout, which eventually steered them to a surprise victory.
Slye is never short on confidence and has earned the right to be the Panthers’ No. 1 option after he was chosen ahead of experienced veteran Graham Gano this offseason. This appears to be a shrewd move by the coaching staff and the player has repaid them with some clutch displays in 2020 so far.
The former Virginia Tech star was perfect from field goal range at the Chargers, making all five kicks despite being under significant pressure. This extends Slye’s perfect record of field goals made during the campaign to nine, and although he had an extra point blocked, you could hardly pin the blame on his shoulders.
If that wasn’t enough, Slye secured another milestone in Week 3 in the form of his first NFL tackle from a kickoff that the player freely admitted he wasn’t too pleased didn’t go for a touchback.
Making up for it in this way was not only one of the more eye-catching highlights, but it also showcased Slye’s desire to help the Panthers in more ways than one.