5 shining stars from the Carolina Panthers second preseason game
By Dean Jones
Who were the shining stars from the Carolina Panthers’ second preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens at Bank of America Stadium?
It was a case of similar problems resurfacing for the Carolina Panthers as they fell to their second-straight preseason loss versus the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday night. This equaled an NFL record of consecutive warmup victories for John Harbaugh’s men and left more questions than answers for Matt Rhule with just two weeks until their Week 1 opener against the New York Jets.
This is all part of the learning and adjustment that comes in the preseason. However, the poor execution at times was glaring and this needs to be eradicated at the earliest possible opportunity if the Panthers want to progress in the coming months.
Despite racking up just three points in front of their home fans, Carolina did get some notable contributions from roster members at various levels of their depth chart. Something that won’t go unnoticed ahead of another round of cuts this week.
With this in mind, here are five shining stars from the Panthers’ second preseason game.
Shining Star No. 1
Brian Burns – Carolina Panthers DE
It was just a brief stint on the field for Brian Burns, but the defensive end demonstrated what he could potentially bring to the Panthers in 2021. He provided constant pressure in the Baltimore backfield and produced a fantastic tackle for a loss that caused a significant amount of excitement throughout those in attendance.
Burns has some additional responsibility on his shoulders entering Year 3 of his professional career. He heads into the new campaign with Pro Bowl credentials and even though the Florida State product got banged up slightly earlier in the week, that didn’t stop him from leaving a mark in Carolina’s second preseason game.
A strong start from Buns and the Panthers’ starting defense. One that only raises the stakes next week against the Pittsburgh Steelers and in the regular season.