Which members of the Carolina Panthers performed the best during their outstanding win over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 4?
It feels good to be a fan of the Carolina Panthers once again. What seems like years of abject misery seems to be turning around thanks to a promising young roster that got themselves back to .500 with a dominant win over the Arizona Cardinals.
It wasn’t the fact that the Carolina Panthers won, it was the manner in which they achieved it. They were nothing short of sensational from the first minute until the last and the best could still be to come from a group that is improving with every passing game.
New head coach Matt Rhule has been keen to stress that they are building rather than tagging the Panthers with the dreaded rebuilding status like everyone else. This is a team that is growing in stature and picking up positive results like this is only going to help them as they look to surprise those who wrote off their chances in the offseason.
This was the best that Carolina has played for quite some time. They continued to move the ball efficiently on offense, even taking more shots down the field. But the way things are coming on regarding their defense is probably even more heartening given how much they were criticized early on.
We took a look at the Panthers’ performances and power ranked the top ten.
No. 10: Brian Burns – Carolina Panthers DE
One of the primary objectives for the Panthers was to limit Kenyan Drake and Kyler Murray’s influence on proceedings. The backfield duo had the potential to hurt their chances of back-to-back wins, but an outstanding display from their defensive front ensured they didn’t have much of a say.
A lot of that was down to Brian Burns, who continues to evolve into a defensive end that can impact the game in a well-rounded fashion. He managed to get some pressure and keep Murray guessing, but the way that the former first-round pick set the edge and prevented Drake from gaining notable yardage was another standout feature of his overall performance.
No. 9: Curtis Samuel – Carolina Panthers WR
When Curtis Samuel dropped a pass early in the game, it might have been enough for the player’s head to drop somewhat. Instead, the wide receiver regrouped and played a leading role in another notable win for the Carolina Panthers.
He eventually finished the game with three receptions for 51 receiving yards, but this doesn’t tell the full story regarding his overall influence. Samuel made some hugely important catches in critical situations and this should give the former Ohio State standout plenty of confidence as he looks to become more involved in the offense as the season goes on.
No. 8: Derrick Brown – Carolina Panthers DT
This was another strong outing for Derrick Brown, who is rapidly evolving into the prospect that the Carolina Panthers hoped he would be when they took him at No. 7 overall. The defensive tackle was a relentless force on the line of scrimmage and generated enough attention to allow others around him to make plays consistently.
It might not show up on the stat sheet, but there is just no telling how much this is going to benefit the Panthers. Brown did come up with another tackle for loss to add to his collection and the sky is the limit for the former Auburn sensation if what we have seen so far is any indication.
No. 7: Jeremy Chinn – Carolina Panthers OLB
This was another tremendous outing for Jeremy Chinn, who is fast becoming a real star. The Carolina Panthers have undoubtedly struck gold with the former Southern Illinois standout and for a rookie to set the tone on defense is especially rare.
There was a penalty called on Chinn for a dangerous hit, but one cannot criticize him too much for that. His closing speed to the point of attack is nothing short of phenomenal and it was no surprise to see Chinn leading the Panthers in tackles once again.
Chinn is a genuine Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate if he continues in this manner for the entirety of the campaign. And there is nothing to suggest he is not more than capable.
No. 6: Mike Davis – Carolina Panthers RB
Make no mistake, Mike Davis has played his way into a more important role on offense even when Christian McCaffrey returns from injury. The veteran has proven to be a more than capable backup in the All-Pro’s absence and he was another that played a starring role for the Carolina Panthers.
Davis gained 83 yards on the ground and one touchdown from 18 carries. He also caught five balls out of the backfield for 27 yards, which enabled him to go over 100 combined from scrimmage. The back’s story is an inspiring one and might earn the player a big payday next spring either in Carolina or elsewhere.
No. 5: Taylor Moton – Carolina Panthers OT
The debate on whether Taylor Moton is an elite tackle is officially over. The offensive lineman has been an absolute sensation during the 2020 season so far and turned in a performance of the highest quality against the Cardinals.
Moton has everything, he really does. There isn’t much even the best pass-rusher can do to get around him thanks to his flawless technique and anyone attempting the bull-rush is quickly thwarted by his superb hand placement and explosive power at the point of attack.
This level of consistency if has all-but-guaranteed a bumper payday for Moton next spring and the Panthers would be wise to give the former second-round pick whatever he wants.
No. 4: Teddy Bridgewater – Carolina Panthers QB
It was another composed performance from quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. There was the interception on an overthrown to Ian Thomas he would like to have back, but it was a pleasing outing from a player who is rising to the occasion with every passing week.
Bridgewater is commanding the line of scrimmage extremely well. The protection he is receiving is helping a lot, but the way he is connecting with the Panthers’ potent weapons in the passing game leaves plenty of reasons to be encouraged regarding his long-term aspirations with the franchise.
He finished the game with 275 passing yards, two touchdowns, and one pick. But Bridgewater’s incredible run for a score of his own is something that will live long in the memory.
No. 3: Greg Little – Carolina Panthers OT
This was easily Greg Little’s best performance in a Carolina Panthers uniform. The offensive lineman filled in for injured Pro Bowler Russell Okung once again and rose to the occasion with an outstanding contribution.
Little restricted Chandler Jones to four solo tackles and one quarterback hit, which represents a significant achievement considering he was going up against the NFL’s sack leader in 2019. This will have been a massive shot in the arm for the player and the clearest sign yet that he might end up being the team’s long-term option on the edge when Okung eventually departs.
No. 2: Rasul Douglas – Carolina Panthers CB
Bringing in Rasul Douglas following his release by the Philadelphia Eagles was a masterstroke. The cornerback instantly came in and changed the whole complexion of Carolina’s secondary and further enhanced his growing reputation with another eye-catching showing in Week 4.
He was tasked with covering All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins for the majority of the game. The wideout might have been less than 100 percent, but that doesn’t detract from what a formidable job he did alongside Donte Jackson, who would have been a lock for this list on any other day.
No. 1: Robby Anderson – Carolina Panthers WR
There is now little doubting the fact that Robby Anderson has emerged as the No. 1 receiving option in Carolina. His level of consistency has been a welcome boost for the Panthers’ offense and the player showcased his immense skill set early and often against the Cardinals.
Anderson is an absolute nightmare to cover and he is thriving with better players around him. He brought in eight of 11 targets for 99 receiving yards and his importance to the Panthers seems to be increasing with every passing week.
Of all the free-agent signings brought in by the organization, Anderson was the one who came with the most boom or bust potential. Thankfully, he has fallen into the boom category in emphatic fashion.