4 key takeaways from the Panthers’ loss vs. the Bucs in Week 10

Shaq Thomspon had his best game of the season

Shaq Thompson has had his fair share of critics this season. The Carolina Panthers were expecting big things from the linebacker following the shock retirement of Luke Kuechly and to say he hasn’t lived up to this would be something of an understatement.

However, the former first-round pick showed signs of life against the Bucs.

There were times in the first half that Thompson looked like a man possessed. He was absolutely everywhere on the second level and came up with some huge stops that gave the Panthers a fighting chance at the half.

Things didn’t go according to plan after the break, which always seems to be the case with this team. But one couldn’t put much of the blame on Thompson’s shoulders.

Something we haven’t said much this season.

It was just one game, but this might be the light at the end of the tunnel where Thompson is concerned. The player himself is probably all-too-aware that he won’t be getting his big pay rise if things don’t improve from a performance perspective between now and the end of the campaign. And although the Panthers aren’t really playing for anything down the stretch, the outside linebacker has more at stake than most.