4 critical observations from the Panthers defeat at Ravens in Week 11
By Luke Gray
Carolina Panthers’ defense continues to make strides
Many Carolina Panthers fans were rightly worried about the prospect of this defensive unit facing Lamar Jackson, one of the most dynamic weapons in the league. What transpired on Sunday was this young unit holding the former NFL MVP mostly in check.
Jackson finished the game with 209 yards in the air and 31 on the ground. Considering this is an elite player the Panthers were facing, defensive coordinator Al Holcomb deserves immense credit.
Despite missing starting defensive tackle Matt Ioannidis the Panthers’ defensive front performed well, sacking Jackson four times. We even saw a big man interception with defensive tackle Bravion Roy showing exceptional athleticism to snag the ball quickly.
The one blot on the defense once again was the performance of C.J. Henderson. With Donte Jackson’s season over with a torn Achilles, the Florida product is expected to take up a bigger role in his absence and found life difficult going up against Demarcus Robinson, who had a career day with nine receptions for 128 receiving yards.
Henderson’s production should be a concern to the Panthers. The player clearly hasn’t progressed as expected and it’s hard to see him having a long-term future on the team.