3 winners and 3 losers from Carolina Panthers first preseason game

Who were the big winners and losers from the Carolina Panthers’ first preseason game at the Indianapolis Colts?

After three weeks of training camp practices, fans were finally able to see the first glimpses of game action by the Carolina Panthers on Sunday in their first preseason game against the Indianapolis Colts.

As expected, no Panthers starters suited up and will have to wait at least another week or two before head coach Matt Rhule decides to have them play some snaps in the preseason.

In the 20-18 loss, the game felt exactly as you’d expect with backups playing for both teams. It was the definition of a tale of two halves.

However, it was an opportunity to shine for many players looking to make the 53-man roster and many did. But there were some who also struggled.

From the team standpoint, one of the biggest struggles from third-down efficiency, as Carolina went just 3-for-14 on third-downs. They also had to settle for multiple field goals, sparking some flashbacks to last year when the red zone offense was one of the Panthers biggest weaknesses.

The defense looked solid but should also be taken with a grain of salt facing the Colts backups.

With that said, here are three winners and three losers from Carolina’s first taste of NFL action this summer.