2 winners (and 5 losers) from Carolina Panthers' loss at the Saints in Week 1

Loser No. 3

Josey Jewell - Carolina Panthers LB

Frankie Luvu's presence already looks sorely missed at the defensive second level. The Carolina Panthers made an effort to keep him around, but the ferocious linebacker opted to join the Washington Commanders to see if he could enter the elite category under head coach Dan Quinn's guidance.

This ripped the beating heart out of this defense. Josey Jewell was the man tasked with filling the void. He's a trusted associate of Ejiro Evero's from their time together on the Denver Broncos. It's early days, but this looks like a significant downgrade.

Jewell was a yard off the pace in this one. He couldn't wrap up runners at the initial contact point and was sluggish in coverage to further raise concerns. Again, he wasn't the only defensive player to fluff their lines. He was one of the worst performers on a dismal afternoon at the office.

It's worth noting that Jewell didn't play much in the preseason. Getting his football legs back underneath him was a small solace to take from the contest. But he needs to be better in Week 2 to avoid any lingering doubts about his outlook.

Loser No. 4

Diontae Johnson - Carolina Panthers WR

Big things were expected from Diontae Johnson right out of the gate. The wide receiver acquired via trade from the Pittsburgh Steelers quickly established himself as the No. 1 option throughout the offseason. His emerging chemistry with quarterback Bryce Young left reasons for positivity heading into their regular-season opener at the New Orleans Saints.

Johnson struggled to get going in this one. The Saints keyed in on the prolific pass-catcher quickly and nullified his threat. There were separation issues compared to the rest. Even when the former Toledo star got open, Young couldn't muster the accuracy needed to make a difference.

The wideout eventually finished the game with two receptions from six targets for 19 receiving yards. This wasn't what anyone with the Panthers had in mind after such an encouraging offseason. Johnson wasn't the only one who struggled, but he's held to a higher standard than most as a Pro Bowl-caliber performer.

There's enough in Johnson's locker to ensure he plays better than this moving forward. But much will also depend on whether Young can galvanize his performance levels effectively enough after a horror show in Week 1.