5 bright spots from the Carolina Panthers defeat at Falcons in Week 8

C.J. Henderson – Carolina Panthers CB

Once again C.J. Henderson left Carolina Panthers’ fans pulling their hair out at some of his questionable play. The cornerback has been under the microscope this season and questions are being leveled at general manager Scott Fitterer as he labeled the trade “one for the future”, but so far they’ve got little in return.

On Sunday we saw the best and worst parts of Henderson’s play all in one drive. First, the former Jacksonville Jaguar had an excellent pass breakup when Atlanta Falcons quarterback Marcus Mariota tested him with a deep pass intended for wide receiver Drake London.

But then we saw the bad part of Henderson’s game. His lack of effort in coverage against Damiere Byrd led to a Falcons touchdown, which correctly drew the ire of fans and yet again left them questioning the decision to send a third-round pick and Dan Arnold to Jacksonville to acquire the one-time Florida standout.

However, we saw redemption from Henderson in overtime as he perfectly tracked Byrd and snagged his second career interception, returning it 50 yards to give the Panthers a prime opportunity to win the game. Despite the subsequent field goal being missed, one can hope that he can build on this vital play.

With fellow starter Donte Jackson once again plagued with injuries throughout the clash, this gives Henderson a perfect opportunity to cement his place as the starting cornerback alongside Jaycee Horn.