By CORY SPIERS
coryspiers@gmail.com
The dress rehearsal is complete.
The Panthers improved to 2-1 in the preseason by slipping past the Jaguars (1-2), 24-23 on a rainy evening in Florida this past Thursday.
Carolina wraps up its preseason schedule with a home game against Pittsburgh Thursday. Given head coach Ron Rivera's track record for the final preseason game, don't expect to see many, if any, of the team's starters.
I wrote about five things I was watching against Jacksonville. How did those things go, anyway?
1. Cam Newton
There was no last-minute setback and we did indeed see big No. 1 line up behind center, but only for one drive.
Newton handed off eight times to Jonathon Stewart and rookie Christian McCaffrey. He tossed two passes and completed both-- a 12-yard check down to McCaffrey and a nine-yard slant to Kelvin Benjamin that went for Carolina's first touchdown.
It's hard to put much stock into some handoffs and a pair of passes (neither of which were very long) but it was still good to see Newton throwing in live action.
The bigger story probably comes from Benjamin. His touchdown grab added to what was already a great preseason for him.
The former Florida State Seminole showed up to camp leaner and... well, meaner. Many have observed he's playing a more physical brand of football, throwing around his big, 6-5 frame more and overall making life harder for opposing defensive backs.
He caught four passes for 36 yards and a score. If it's a sign of things to come for Benjamin, that means great things for Carolina's offense.
2. Curtis Samuel
Talk about making up for lost time. The speedy rookie slot receiver out of Ohio State was targeted early and often Thursday night.
Samuel wasn't able to break anything long but was involved in several short passes and screens that looked designed to give him a chance to get a head of steam. Though he never quite did, he looked fine in his first preseason game.
Samuel finished with four receptions for 15 yards. As he works his way back from a lingering hamstring injury, expect to see more vertical plays designed to go Samuel's way once the season starts for real.
I wrote previously about Samuel being the potential savior for a long-stagnant slot receiver position in Carolina. I'm not sure it's safe to hail Samuel that savior quite yet after last night's game, but it's a small start.
He certainly does look fast.
3. First-team defense
I thought Carolina's first team defense looked fine Thursday night.
The group surrendered a touchdown to the Chad Henne-led Jaguars in the first quarter, but that score was set up by a fake punt that gave the home team a first down and more than 50 yards.
Remember, 99 times out of 100, the Jaguars aren't running that fake in the first quarter of a regular season game.
Sans that gadget play, Carolina held tough and forced several three and outs.
The first team did surrender a field goal that tied the game at 10, but that score came on the heels of an ill-advised pick off of Derek Anderson that came after the 34-year-old tried to find a window in a window-less void of Jaguars double coverage.
Linebacker Luke Kuechly looked fast and aggressive. Thomas Davis looked better than he did in Tennessee. James Bradberry saw little action, which means he was probably blanketing his side of the field well.
Mario Addison notched an early sack and defensive tackle Kawann Short was mighty disruptive. On one occasion, Short powered his way to the quarterback despite being held and turned completely around by a Jaguars lineman. A few minutes later, Short's hand found Henne's face mask for a 15-yard penalty, but he was causing plenty enough raucous to make up for that.
Second-year corner Daryl Worley was exposed more than once. He gave up a big pass play over the top and was beat again by several steps on the left sideline but was bailed out after the receiver dropped the pass.
Worley looks noticeably like the weaker of the two outside corners and that's not good. If we can see it, you can bet opposing coaches see it and will try to take advantage.
For a guy who was having a good camp, Worley simply has to be better or it won't be a matter of if it will cost the Panthers but rather, when it will cost them.
Worth noting is that reserve corner Zack Sanchez (an Oklahoma product who was cut last year by the team) looked very good. Sanchez tallied an impressive pick after he ripped the ball out of the hands of a Jaguars receiver on the way to the ground and was just four yards away from bringing it to the house.
Later in the game, Sanchez saved a touchdown by laying out to get a finger on a pass that was zeroing in for a wide open Jaguar on a goal line play.
4. More McCaffrey
McCaffrey was OK against the Jaguars.
The Stanford speedster ran seven times for 21 yards and caught a pass for 12 yards.
The Panthers also tossed the prized rookie back on punt returns on two occasions. I think that's a fine idea, but he took some scary shots. Not good in a meaningless preseason contest.
McCaffrey averaged two yards per return. His best return was a five-yarder.
Damiere Byrd spelled McCaffrey as the returner for the rest of the game.
5. Offensive overhaul?
Yes, the offense looked better than it did against Tennessee.
Newton orchestrated a beautiful opening drive that really set the tone. He said after the game that the drive represented what Panther football is all about.
He's right. I said before the game I wanted to see long, sustained drives with plenty of running (as is the Panther M.O) and that's exactly how the game started.
Newton's one drive was great. But once Anderson came in, it was as if a switch flipped. The offense didn't look good at all.
That's troubling. Should Newton go down during the season, Anderson proved that fans should hold their breath when he comes in.
The Jaguars announcers praised Anderson more than once for being one of the best backups in the league. That WAS the case-- three years ago.
Stewart ran hard and reserve running back Cameron Artis-Payne had another big game as he continues to make his case for being included in the final 53.
Stewart ran five times for 39 yards, including a 31-yard scamper that kept Carolina's opening drive churning, and Artis-Payne carried nine times for 37 yards to go along with both of the team's rushing touchdowns.
It will be difficult to justify keeping Artis-Payne off the regular season roster at this point. The Auburn product did have an ill-advised personal foul penalty after he finished a tackle well out of bounds on a punt return, but his bruising running style gives the Panthers an edge and added depth.
The hard part will be finding ways to get the often-forgotten back into the lineup and onto the field during the regular season.
Third string quarterback Garrett Gilbert vastly outplayed Anderson. On a night when usual third stringer Joe Webb was sidelined with arm soreness, Gilbert got plenty of time to throw late and he made the most of it.
Gilbert just missed his first passing touchdown of the preseason after he connected on a long throw but after review, Mose Frazier was found to have been touched down before he could scamper to the end zone.
Still, the completion kept the drive churning and was a big part of the reason the Panthers stole the exhibition win.
Gilbert's final line includes eight completions on 12 attempts for 97 yards. Anderson was 10-for-19 with 66 yards and a pick.
coryspiers@gmail.com
The dress rehearsal is complete.
The Panthers improved to 2-1 in the preseason by slipping past the Jaguars (1-2), 24-23 on a rainy evening in Florida this past Thursday.
Carolina wraps up its preseason schedule with a home game against Pittsburgh Thursday. Given head coach Ron Rivera's track record for the final preseason game, don't expect to see many, if any, of the team's starters.
I wrote about five things I was watching against Jacksonville. How did those things go, anyway?
1. Cam Newton
There was no last-minute setback and we did indeed see big No. 1 line up behind center, but only for one drive.
Newton handed off eight times to Jonathon Stewart and rookie Christian McCaffrey. He tossed two passes and completed both-- a 12-yard check down to McCaffrey and a nine-yard slant to Kelvin Benjamin that went for Carolina's first touchdown.
It's hard to put much stock into some handoffs and a pair of passes (neither of which were very long) but it was still good to see Newton throwing in live action.
The bigger story probably comes from Benjamin. His touchdown grab added to what was already a great preseason for him.
The former Florida State Seminole showed up to camp leaner and... well, meaner. Many have observed he's playing a more physical brand of football, throwing around his big, 6-5 frame more and overall making life harder for opposing defensive backs.
He caught four passes for 36 yards and a score. If it's a sign of things to come for Benjamin, that means great things for Carolina's offense.
2. Curtis Samuel
Talk about making up for lost time. The speedy rookie slot receiver out of Ohio State was targeted early and often Thursday night.
Samuel wasn't able to break anything long but was involved in several short passes and screens that looked designed to give him a chance to get a head of steam. Though he never quite did, he looked fine in his first preseason game.
Samuel finished with four receptions for 15 yards. As he works his way back from a lingering hamstring injury, expect to see more vertical plays designed to go Samuel's way once the season starts for real.
I wrote previously about Samuel being the potential savior for a long-stagnant slot receiver position in Carolina. I'm not sure it's safe to hail Samuel that savior quite yet after last night's game, but it's a small start.
He certainly does look fast.
3. First-team defense
I thought Carolina's first team defense looked fine Thursday night.
The group surrendered a touchdown to the Chad Henne-led Jaguars in the first quarter, but that score was set up by a fake punt that gave the home team a first down and more than 50 yards.
Remember, 99 times out of 100, the Jaguars aren't running that fake in the first quarter of a regular season game.
Sans that gadget play, Carolina held tough and forced several three and outs.
The first team did surrender a field goal that tied the game at 10, but that score came on the heels of an ill-advised pick off of Derek Anderson that came after the 34-year-old tried to find a window in a window-less void of Jaguars double coverage.
Linebacker Luke Kuechly looked fast and aggressive. Thomas Davis looked better than he did in Tennessee. James Bradberry saw little action, which means he was probably blanketing his side of the field well.
Mario Addison notched an early sack and defensive tackle Kawann Short was mighty disruptive. On one occasion, Short powered his way to the quarterback despite being held and turned completely around by a Jaguars lineman. A few minutes later, Short's hand found Henne's face mask for a 15-yard penalty, but he was causing plenty enough raucous to make up for that.
Second-year corner Daryl Worley was exposed more than once. He gave up a big pass play over the top and was beat again by several steps on the left sideline but was bailed out after the receiver dropped the pass.
Worley looks noticeably like the weaker of the two outside corners and that's not good. If we can see it, you can bet opposing coaches see it and will try to take advantage.
For a guy who was having a good camp, Worley simply has to be better or it won't be a matter of if it will cost the Panthers but rather, when it will cost them.
Worth noting is that reserve corner Zack Sanchez (an Oklahoma product who was cut last year by the team) looked very good. Sanchez tallied an impressive pick after he ripped the ball out of the hands of a Jaguars receiver on the way to the ground and was just four yards away from bringing it to the house.
Later in the game, Sanchez saved a touchdown by laying out to get a finger on a pass that was zeroing in for a wide open Jaguar on a goal line play.
4. More McCaffrey
McCaffrey was OK against the Jaguars.
The Stanford speedster ran seven times for 21 yards and caught a pass for 12 yards.
The Panthers also tossed the prized rookie back on punt returns on two occasions. I think that's a fine idea, but he took some scary shots. Not good in a meaningless preseason contest.
McCaffrey averaged two yards per return. His best return was a five-yarder.
Damiere Byrd spelled McCaffrey as the returner for the rest of the game.
5. Offensive overhaul?
Yes, the offense looked better than it did against Tennessee.
Newton orchestrated a beautiful opening drive that really set the tone. He said after the game that the drive represented what Panther football is all about.
He's right. I said before the game I wanted to see long, sustained drives with plenty of running (as is the Panther M.O) and that's exactly how the game started.
Newton's one drive was great. But once Anderson came in, it was as if a switch flipped. The offense didn't look good at all.
That's troubling. Should Newton go down during the season, Anderson proved that fans should hold their breath when he comes in.
The Jaguars announcers praised Anderson more than once for being one of the best backups in the league. That WAS the case-- three years ago.
Stewart ran hard and reserve running back Cameron Artis-Payne had another big game as he continues to make his case for being included in the final 53.
Stewart ran five times for 39 yards, including a 31-yard scamper that kept Carolina's opening drive churning, and Artis-Payne carried nine times for 37 yards to go along with both of the team's rushing touchdowns.
It will be difficult to justify keeping Artis-Payne off the regular season roster at this point. The Auburn product did have an ill-advised personal foul penalty after he finished a tackle well out of bounds on a punt return, but his bruising running style gives the Panthers an edge and added depth.
The hard part will be finding ways to get the often-forgotten back into the lineup and onto the field during the regular season.
Third string quarterback Garrett Gilbert vastly outplayed Anderson. On a night when usual third stringer Joe Webb was sidelined with arm soreness, Gilbert got plenty of time to throw late and he made the most of it.
Gilbert just missed his first passing touchdown of the preseason after he connected on a long throw but after review, Mose Frazier was found to have been touched down before he could scamper to the end zone.
Still, the completion kept the drive churning and was a big part of the reason the Panthers stole the exhibition win.
Gilbert's final line includes eight completions on 12 attempts for 97 yards. Anderson was 10-for-19 with 66 yards and a pick.
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