5 major observations from Carolina Panthers' preseason loss at the NY Giants

Carolina Panthers OC Thomas Brown shines

After spending three years working under Sean McVay with the Los Angeles, Thomas Brown was given a deserved promotion by the Carolina Panthers this offseason. But he is no stranger to big responsibilities, which was evident on Friday night.

During the preseason, Brown and Frank Reich are sharing the play-calling responsibilities. As the game progressed, it became increasingly apparent that the offensive coordinator's approach had proven more effective.

Whether this is something that continues into the regular season remains to be seen. The scheme was bland and often uninspiring, but there's a lot to be said about how well Brown put his players in positions to thrive over the second half.

Brown deeply understands player strengths, mixing in screens, RPOs, and play actions while maintaining focus on the run game. Despite keeping the game plan vanilla, his offense brought an extra bit of sweetness and almost led the Panthers to a comeback triumph.

Reich is easing the young coordinator into the role and will be the primary play-caller over the first few weeks of the season. It will be interesting to see their dynamic as the campaign progresses.