4 Carolina Panthers players who exceeded expectations vs. Lions
By Dean Jones
Efe Obada – Carolina Panthers DL
Efe Obada has done a nice job of carving out a role for himself with the Carolina Panthers in 2020. The defensive lineman faced a bleak future after he was cut by the organization and subsequently brought back on the practice squad earlier this season. But it’s hard not to love the way he’s applied himself ever since.
Obada’s dominance on the line of scrimmage was there for all to see once against the Lions, which was arguably the best display of his career to date. Detroit had absolutely no answer for the Nigerian-born player when he was in the game and struggled to cope with his explosive power on the interior as Carolina utilized his versatility heavily to boost their pass-rush.
His production brought 1.5 sacks, two quarterback hits, one tackle for loss, and two tackles. Obada was a menace in the backfield consistently and seemed to benefit from playing next to defensive end Brian Burns, who was unblockable throughout.
Obada now has 3.5 sacks this season, which is more than he managed to accumulate in the last two years combined. With 10 quarterback hits and 11 pressures also to his name, the player has given himself a fighting chance at earning a longer-term commitment from the franchise this offseason.