3 winners and 3 losers from Carolina Panthers win vs. NY Jets in Week 1
By Jason Huber
Carolina Panthers defensive line
The Carolina Panthers defensive line had a field day on Sunday afternoon, completely terrorizing New York Jets rookie quarterback Zach Wilson. In total, the defense had six sacks, an interception, a forced fumble, and 10 quarterback hits.
Overall, the defense was led by a strong day from linebacker Shaq Thompson, but the new-look defensive line consisting of Brian Burns, Haason Reddick, and Derrick Brown made easy work of the Jets’ protection throughout the contest.
While the secondary also played extremely well, helping Carolina hold New York to just 252 total yards, including a mere 82 in the first half, the defensive line is the biggest reason the Panthers were able to hold onto the game as the Jets stayed within striking distance.
They held New York to just 52 rushing yards and defended eight passes.
When the starters needed to be rotated out, the backups continued to keep the momentum going as Marquis Haynes had a sack and a quarterback hit, and fifth-round rookie Daviyon Nixon continued to impress after a strong training camp with half a sack.
Second-year defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos also got in on the fun, stopping a key Jets fourth-and-one attempt in the first half.
It’s no secret that Carolina should have a very solid defense this season and the defensive line showed Sunday why they could be one of the league’s most underrated.