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

What were some major observations from the Carolina Panthers' loss at the New York Giants in Preseason Week 2?

The Carolina Panthers traveled to MetLife Stadium to take on the New York Giants hoping to gain clarity from a lackluster performance against the New York Jets to begin their 2023 preseason engagements.

Carolina played their starters, including rookie quarterback Bryce Young, Adam Thielen, and D.J. Chark. The Giants also featured most of their primary difference-makers such as Charlotte native Daniel Jones, Darren Waller, and Dexter Lawrence, so it was another test for the young Panthers squad.

The Giants dominated early, scoring a touchdown on their first drive. Carolina continued to struggle, failing to gain a first down after a neutral zone infraction. This marks their third consecutive scoreless drive in just two weeks.

It got a little better after that, even if the game did end with another defeat. With that said, here are five major observations from the warmup contest.

Carolina Panthers OL still needs tuning

The Carolina Panthers offensive line exhibited some progress during the game. However, certain lapses were still evident which merit attention and evaluation.

The absence of Austin Corbett during the preseason has been crucial. And the Panthers are scrambling for answers as the season draws closer.

Rookie Chandler Zavala could be a temporary option having a solid outing against a stout New York Giants defensive front. The same cannot be said for Ikem Ekwonu, who is still showing significant struggles in pass protection.

The second-year tackle gave up the only hit on quarterback Bryce Young, letting Kayvon Thibodeaux come free off the edge. Nothing to be overly concerned about, but this needs to be cleaned up quickly.

Bradley Bozeman - who had the toughest assignment of the night against Dexter Lawrence - found himself getting pushed back quite frequently back into the backfield. This made it tough for Young to properly process, forcing him to roll out and create his own looks.

It was a rough night overall for the offensive line. With little time between now and Week 1, the Panthers are hoping for this unit to step up big time.

Carolina Panthers QB Bryce Young displayed veteran mentality

During training camp, Bryce Young was praised for his ability to adapt and process information on the fly quickly. However, this preseason he hasn't been asked to showcase much.

Frank Reich conceded that everything up to this point has been rather vanilla. This is by design as the Carolina Panthers don't want to give their scheme concepts away before the regular season begins.

Despite everything around him, Young remains physically and mentally tough. His precision and accuracy when passing are remarkable, putting the receivers in the best position to make catches only they can get.

One of his notable connections at the New York Giants was to Hayden Hurst on the sideline in the red zone. Even though it got called back due to holding, the throw was impressive nonetheless.

Young also used his feet in Friday's matchup. Early in the game, he scanned the field saw no one open, and scrambled out of bounds for a few yards. Later on, the signal-caller showed his ability to make defenders miss in the backfield - even falling down quickly, getting back up, and taking a shot downfield that came up incomplete.

The young quarterback had a few mishaps, including a miscommunication with rookie teammate Jonathan Mingo on third down and a delay-of-game penalty during the second drive in the red zone.

It will be interesting to see if he will suit up for next week's game against the Detroit Lions. But fans should be encouraged by what they've seen so far.

Carolina Panthers roster spot steals emerge

This particular preseason game had some unsung heroes like Shi Smith, Raheem Blackshear, and Raequan Williams. All three bolstered their chances of making the 53-man roster in the coming weeks.

Smith's outstanding second-half performance was crucial in light of the injuries sustained by Terrace Marshall Jr. and Damiere Byrd. He caught four out of five targets for 49 receiving yards, making significant progress and pushing himself into the conversation of being the sixth receiver on the roster. Hopefully, he will carry this momentum into the last game against the Detroit Lions.

Blackshear is another name on the scope battling for reps with Spencer Brown. The second-year running back carried the ball eight times for 31 rushing yards and the Panthers' first touchdown in preseason play, displaying great ball carrier vision and explosiveness.

The undrafted free agent is making an interesting case in the running back room. Blackshear could even be No. 2 on the depth chart whenit's all said and done.

Williams has taken advantage of every opportunity handed to him since joining the Panthers and Friday was no different. The defensive tackle made huge plays all night, being very disruptive in the run game and from a pass-rushing capacity - staking his roster claim in no uncertain terms.

These three players are worth watching as they could benefit the team and add major depth

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.

Does Carolina Panthers QB Matt Corral have what it takes?

Second-year quarterback Matt Corral must prove himself with every opportunity since he was taken in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft under different management. Especially considering how the Carolina Panthers brought in Bryce Young and Andy Dalton this offseason.

Corral received numerous live-action reps and was the primary player for most of the game. However, he must improve in certain areas, particularly when it comes to demonstrating patience within the pocket and executing timely throws.

The former Ole Miss stud started pretty rocky, stalling out the first three drives after taking over for Young. But he showed great resiliency in the second half, using his legs and creating opportunities for the offense.

The quarterback completed nine out of 13 passes, gaining 71 yards - which was a team-high. Corral also secured a 69.23 percent completion rate before he went to the sidelines as the Panthers got reps into Jake Luton.

Although it wasn't his best performance, it leaves us wondering if Corral will stay with Carolina throughout the season. While the notion cannot be dismissed entirely, things are still hanging in the balance with one preseason game remaining.