What are some major positives emerging for the Carolina Panthers entering their Week 4 encounter against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 4?
The Carolina Panthers find themselves at 1-2 after three weeks of the 2022 season. Some would consider that as an underachievement given the standard of opposition, but Matt Rhule can take heart from the fact this team is still fighting through adversity in pursuit of a common goal.
Ending their nine-game losing run against the New Orleans Saints was another positive step. While it doesn’t do much to ease the pressure on Rhule, it provides hope that the Panthers can go on a little run despite some significant challenges upcoming on the schedule.
This newfound positivity must be put to good use. All it’ll take is another loss versus the Arizona Cardinals at Bank of America Stadium in Week 4 to see the doom and gloom return, so the stakes remain considerably high for everyone within the franchise almost one month into the campaign.
With this in mind, we picked out four major positives surrounding the Panthers entering this Sunday’s game against the Cardinals.
Major Positive No. 1
Carolina Panthers OL
Once deemed a genuine weakness and immense source of frustration, the Carolina Panthers now boast a reliable offensive line that’s making substantial strides after a rough opening outing against the Cleveland Browns. The new faces seem to be gelling well and coach James Campen is having a positive impact across the protection after his appointment this spring.
Carolina’s interior looks like a force. Taylor Moton’s production remains consistent, so when rookie Ikem Ekwonu irons out some growing pains, this could become a stable group capable of achieving great things moving forward.
Christian McCaffrey – Carolina Panthers RB
Although Christian McCaffrey looked fresh and explosive throughout the preparation period, there remained some concern about how the running back would fare given his recent injury problems. The running back’s usage might have altered so far, but that does not detract from what an integral part of the Carolina Panthers he is after catching the eye through three weeks.
After receiving criticism for under-utilizing McCaffrey in Week 1, the Panthers made him their focal point ever since. Something that was almost a necessity considering how Baker Mayfield isn’t clicking with his primary pass-catchers right now.
McCaffrey is elusive, patient, and capable of breaking off for big yardage whenever he touches the football. The former first-round selection has back-to-back games of more than 100 rushing yards and more importantly, there doesn’t appear to be anything too serious to worry about on the health front.
It’s a long season, so anything can happen. However, offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo seems to be finding the right balance where McCaffrey is concerned, although getting him more involved in the passing game would be prudent in the coming weeks.
McCaffrey is joint-fourth in rushing alongside Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson. A solid foundation from which to build and much-needed after so much frustration.
Jaycee Horn – Carolina Panthers CB
Another who endured a luckless time with injury in 2021, Jaycee Horn is back and looking better than ever. This is yet another major boost to the Carolina Panthers within their gifted secondary led by experienced coach Steve Wilks.
Horn was brought along very slowly in the offseason after experiencing soreness in his surgically repaired broken foot. So it came as no surprise to see him struggle on occasions in Week 1 against Amari Cooper, one of the league’s smoothest route runners.
That came with criticism and questions from some within the fanbase about Horn and whether or not he’s been overhyped. Something the former first-round selection heard and answered in no uncertain terms.
What we’ve witnessed over the last fortnight with Horn is extremely optimistic.
His assurance in coverage has been first-class. The South Carolina product is also making an impact on running downs and even on blitz packages.
There will be big tests upcoming for Horn. It’s also worth remembering that the second-year-pro is still relatively inexperienced given how much football he missed as a rookie.
However, it’s so far, so good. And the best thing is he’s only going to improve the further along we go.
Derrick Brown – Carolina Panthers DT
Even the biggest Derrick Brown pessimist cannot ignore how well the defensive tackle has played in 2022. There were times against the Cleveland Browns where he was thrown off balance, but overall it’s been nothing short of superb and something the Carolina Panthers were hoping for in Year 3 of his professional career.
Brown is held to a higher standard being a No. 7 overall selection. It’s taken time for everything to come together and the constant change alongside him on the defensive front hasn’t helped, but the former Auburn stud is showing why he was so highly-regarded coming out of college and long may it continue.
There are many notable improvements to Brown’s production so far. His ability to shed blocks is consistent, as is the lineman’s ability to hold his spot and reduce gaps against the run.
Another standout feature of Brown’s early contribution is creating pressure. This might not show up with numbers on the stat sheet, but he is often shifting the line almost single-handedly and allowing others to make plays.
This is the player the Panthers anticipated Brown to eventually become. He can still improve – there’s no mistake about that – but the lineman appears to be a lock for his fifth-year option if high-performance levels continue throughout 2022.