BY CORY SPIERS
coryspiers@gmail.com
The final score doesn't mean much in the preseason, but, for what it's worth, the Panthers opened their exhibition slate with a 28-23 road win over the Bills this past Thursday night.
Cam Newton and a host of limited offensive starters lasted a couple of series in the first quarter before the reserve floodgates opened. The first team offense turned in a particularly underwhelming first series that ended in a Michael Palardy punt but capped off an efficient nine-play, 75-yard drive with a two-yard Christian McCaffrey touchdown run later in the quarter.
Carolina's first-team defense got a good chunk of work against the Bills starters in the opening quarter and allowed a 28-yard touchdown connection between Nathan Peterman and Kelvin Benjamin.
As is the case with any preseason game, some players saw their stock rise while others saw it fall.
Stock rising:
DJ Moore: One game (let alone an exhibition game) is an extremely small sample size, but first-round pick DJ Moore looks as good as advertised.
The first receiver off the board in this past April's draft did his best Thursday night to show why Carolina was so eager to pull the trigger on him.
Moore caught four passes for a team-high 75 yards and was targetted six times-- the most of any Panthers receiver.
On one occasion, Moore snagged a pass from reserve quarterback Taylor Heinicke over the middle and do-si-do'd past a Bills defender who surely would have stopped him short of the first down marker, sprinted upfield, took more contact which also drew a facemask penalty and ducked out of bounds well past the line to gain for a first down to keep a promising drive alive.
Moore's ability after the catch is explosive and his route-running and awareness seem solid.
Curtis Samuel: Speaking of young wide receivers, Curtis Samuel was another wideout who made the most of his opportunities against Buffalo.
Samuel, a second-round selection out of Ohio State in the 2017 draft, had a tough time staying healthy as a rookie and was even a late addition to the active training camp roster due to injury this season, but he certainly moved well on Thursday night.
Samuel tied Moore for the team-lead with four receptions and racked up 43 yards. Samuel recorded a reception each time he was targeted.
Shaq Thompson: Shaq Thompson has been drawing a lot of praise for his training camp work in Spartanburg and he made one of Carolina's biggest defensive plays Thursday night when he sprawled out to intercept a tipped Peterman pass.
Thompson's interception stalled a promising Buffalo drive that had worked the home team into Panthers territory.
Thompson also registered three solo tackles.
Jermaine Carter: Carolina's fifth-round pick made a bit of a name for himself against the Bills.
On more than one occasion, Carter jumped the snap count on a blitz and caused havoc in the Buffalo backfield.
The former Maryland linebacker looked quick and relentless in pursuit.
On one especially important play, the Bills went for it on fourth down deep inside Panthers territory. Bills quarterback Josh Allen dropped back but was almost immediately pursued by a blitzing Carter, who chased him several yards back before reinforcements arrived. The play was a bust and the Panthers took over on downs.
Carter registered three tackles (one for a loss), two quarterback hits and a sack.
Stock falling:
Kevon Seymour: Penciled in on the preliminary depth chart as Carolina's other starting corner opposite James Bradberry, Kevon Seymour needs to show more than he did Thursday night.
Immediately, the Bills went right at Seymour, throwing to his side of the field repeatedly. And repeatedly, Seymour was beaten.
Peterman completed six passes on Seymour on the opening drive, including a rainbow to former Panther Kelvin Benjamin, who grabbed the ball in stride as Seymour choked on dust.
To be fair, Seymour gives up more than a couple of inches to Benjamin, but he didn't look especially good covering anyone else, either.
Carolina shuffled its defensive backs all night and at one point, Seymour was still taking reps in the fourth quarter.
Cameron Artis-Payne: It's fair to question if blocking, or rather a lack thereof, could have had something to do with Cameron Artis-Payne's messy Thursday night, but either way, the stats don't look good.
Especially for a guy once again locked in a battle for a roster spot.
Artis-Payne registered five of Carolina's 26 carries (a team-high) and finished with just one yard to show for it.
Artis-Payne was routinely smacked in the backfield almost immediately. Had it not been for a six-yard rush, he would have ended the game with negative yardage.
Artis-Payne's performance looks particularly sour considering fellow running back and Charlotte native Elijah Hood ran three times for seven yards and also streaked downfield wide open for a 21-yard receiving touchdown.
Could Artis-Payne be on cut-watch this preseason? It's probably too early to tell, but this certainly isn't the way he would have drawn up the beginning of his fight to stay on the team.
Carolina's pass rush: The Panthers gave Buffalo quarterbacks way too long.
Peterman, especially, took full advantage of a largely lackadaisical pass rush, completing 9-of-10 passes for 119 yards and a score.
Carolina's backups didn't fare much better, either, Buffalo's second quarterback into the mix, AJ McCarron, fared pretty well, too, going 7-of-10 for 116 yards.
Carter recorded a sack on a blitz but Carolina's lone sack from a defensive lineman came early in the second quarter when Vernon Butler wrapped up McCarron on a shotgun pass.
The Panthers defensive backs certainly didn't dazzle, but it's fair to wonder if they were often left on an island against a group of admittedly speedy Bills receivers.
The Panthers need their pass rush to get home more than it did Thursday night. The addition of Dontari Poe, Kawann Short and Julius Peppers (all of which didn't play) should help.
Next up-- Miami at Carolina, Friday Aug. 17.
I thought Carolina's offensive line looked pretty good. Buffalo registered just one sack and keep in mind, the group was without Amini Silatolu, Daryl Williams and Ryan Kalil.
Rookie corner Donte Jackson looked fine. I'd like to see him get some reps with the first team defense before I decide how I'm feeling about his chances of starting but I think he'd be hard-pressed to be much worse than Seymour at this point.
Rookie safety Rashaan Gaulden is a similar case-- I'd like to see him more this preseason.
I thought both quarterbacks vying for Newton's backup role-- Garrett Gilbert and Heinicke-- honestly performed pretty similarly. Heinicke shined a bit brighter and looked more effective because he wasn't afraid to use his surprisingly fleet feet.
Gilbert started slow but he threw a beautiful touchdown ball to Moze Frazier, putting it on Frazier's outside shoulder where only he could make a play on it.
I almost dropped former UNCC wide receiver Austin Duke into the stock falling category, but honestly, he just didn't get many chances.
Carolina stuck to a familiar host of wide receivers for most of the game, presumably to give Gilbert and Heinicke similar circumstances with which to strut their stuff.
Duke was targetted once and didn't make the catch and returned a punt for five yards. If you figure Torrey Smith, DJ Moore, Devin Funchess, Jarius Wright and Curtis Samuel are roster locks, the fight for a receiver spot becomes fierce. Right now, I'd say the sixth receiver spot is Damiere Byrd's to lose (that is, if Carolina even keeps six).
I'm excited for rookie tight end Ian Thomas. Everything we heard about him was that he's raw as a football player and I have to say, that seems about right.
Thomas was targetted four times and caught one pass for two yards. He almost had another reception, but bobbled the ball and couldn't drag both feet inbounds. It's a catch he'll learn to make.
Thanks very much for reading. Remember, I'm just a super passionate Panthers fan who loves to write and talk about this team. You reading literally means the world to me. Feel free to send me any recommendations for future write-ups, or to tell me you think I'm dead wrong about Artis-Payne... whatever! I seriously welcome discourse. Remember, Panthers fam.. Keep Pounding.
coryspiers@gmail.com
The final score doesn't mean much in the preseason, but, for what it's worth, the Panthers opened their exhibition slate with a 28-23 road win over the Bills this past Thursday night.
Cam Newton and a host of limited offensive starters lasted a couple of series in the first quarter before the reserve floodgates opened. The first team offense turned in a particularly underwhelming first series that ended in a Michael Palardy punt but capped off an efficient nine-play, 75-yard drive with a two-yard Christian McCaffrey touchdown run later in the quarter.
Carolina's first-team defense got a good chunk of work against the Bills starters in the opening quarter and allowed a 28-yard touchdown connection between Nathan Peterman and Kelvin Benjamin.
As is the case with any preseason game, some players saw their stock rise while others saw it fall.
Stock rising:
DJ Moore: One game (let alone an exhibition game) is an extremely small sample size, but first-round pick DJ Moore looks as good as advertised.
The first receiver off the board in this past April's draft did his best Thursday night to show why Carolina was so eager to pull the trigger on him.
Moore caught four passes for a team-high 75 yards and was targetted six times-- the most of any Panthers receiver.
On one occasion, Moore snagged a pass from reserve quarterback Taylor Heinicke over the middle and do-si-do'd past a Bills defender who surely would have stopped him short of the first down marker, sprinted upfield, took more contact which also drew a facemask penalty and ducked out of bounds well past the line to gain for a first down to keep a promising drive alive.
Moore's ability after the catch is explosive and his route-running and awareness seem solid.
Curtis Samuel: Speaking of young wide receivers, Curtis Samuel was another wideout who made the most of his opportunities against Buffalo.
Samuel, a second-round selection out of Ohio State in the 2017 draft, had a tough time staying healthy as a rookie and was even a late addition to the active training camp roster due to injury this season, but he certainly moved well on Thursday night.
Samuel tied Moore for the team-lead with four receptions and racked up 43 yards. Samuel recorded a reception each time he was targeted.
Shaq Thompson: Shaq Thompson has been drawing a lot of praise for his training camp work in Spartanburg and he made one of Carolina's biggest defensive plays Thursday night when he sprawled out to intercept a tipped Peterman pass.
Thompson's interception stalled a promising Buffalo drive that had worked the home team into Panthers territory.
Thompson also registered three solo tackles.
Jermaine Carter: Carolina's fifth-round pick made a bit of a name for himself against the Bills.
On more than one occasion, Carter jumped the snap count on a blitz and caused havoc in the Buffalo backfield.
The former Maryland linebacker looked quick and relentless in pursuit.
On one especially important play, the Bills went for it on fourth down deep inside Panthers territory. Bills quarterback Josh Allen dropped back but was almost immediately pursued by a blitzing Carter, who chased him several yards back before reinforcements arrived. The play was a bust and the Panthers took over on downs.
Carter registered three tackles (one for a loss), two quarterback hits and a sack.
Stock falling:
Kevon Seymour: Penciled in on the preliminary depth chart as Carolina's other starting corner opposite James Bradberry, Kevon Seymour needs to show more than he did Thursday night.
Immediately, the Bills went right at Seymour, throwing to his side of the field repeatedly. And repeatedly, Seymour was beaten.
Peterman completed six passes on Seymour on the opening drive, including a rainbow to former Panther Kelvin Benjamin, who grabbed the ball in stride as Seymour choked on dust.
To be fair, Seymour gives up more than a couple of inches to Benjamin, but he didn't look especially good covering anyone else, either.
Carolina shuffled its defensive backs all night and at one point, Seymour was still taking reps in the fourth quarter.
Cameron Artis-Payne: It's fair to question if blocking, or rather a lack thereof, could have had something to do with Cameron Artis-Payne's messy Thursday night, but either way, the stats don't look good.
Especially for a guy once again locked in a battle for a roster spot.
Artis-Payne registered five of Carolina's 26 carries (a team-high) and finished with just one yard to show for it.
Artis-Payne was routinely smacked in the backfield almost immediately. Had it not been for a six-yard rush, he would have ended the game with negative yardage.
Artis-Payne's performance looks particularly sour considering fellow running back and Charlotte native Elijah Hood ran three times for seven yards and also streaked downfield wide open for a 21-yard receiving touchdown.
Could Artis-Payne be on cut-watch this preseason? It's probably too early to tell, but this certainly isn't the way he would have drawn up the beginning of his fight to stay on the team.
Carolina's pass rush: The Panthers gave Buffalo quarterbacks way too long.
Peterman, especially, took full advantage of a largely lackadaisical pass rush, completing 9-of-10 passes for 119 yards and a score.
Carolina's backups didn't fare much better, either, Buffalo's second quarterback into the mix, AJ McCarron, fared pretty well, too, going 7-of-10 for 116 yards.
Carter recorded a sack on a blitz but Carolina's lone sack from a defensive lineman came early in the second quarter when Vernon Butler wrapped up McCarron on a shotgun pass.
The Panthers defensive backs certainly didn't dazzle, but it's fair to wonder if they were often left on an island against a group of admittedly speedy Bills receivers.
The Panthers need their pass rush to get home more than it did Thursday night. The addition of Dontari Poe, Kawann Short and Julius Peppers (all of which didn't play) should help.
Next up-- Miami at Carolina, Friday Aug. 17.
I thought Carolina's offensive line looked pretty good. Buffalo registered just one sack and keep in mind, the group was without Amini Silatolu, Daryl Williams and Ryan Kalil.
Rookie corner Donte Jackson looked fine. I'd like to see him get some reps with the first team defense before I decide how I'm feeling about his chances of starting but I think he'd be hard-pressed to be much worse than Seymour at this point.
Rookie safety Rashaan Gaulden is a similar case-- I'd like to see him more this preseason.
I thought both quarterbacks vying for Newton's backup role-- Garrett Gilbert and Heinicke-- honestly performed pretty similarly. Heinicke shined a bit brighter and looked more effective because he wasn't afraid to use his surprisingly fleet feet.
Gilbert started slow but he threw a beautiful touchdown ball to Moze Frazier, putting it on Frazier's outside shoulder where only he could make a play on it.
I almost dropped former UNCC wide receiver Austin Duke into the stock falling category, but honestly, he just didn't get many chances.
Carolina stuck to a familiar host of wide receivers for most of the game, presumably to give Gilbert and Heinicke similar circumstances with which to strut their stuff.
Duke was targetted once and didn't make the catch and returned a punt for five yards. If you figure Torrey Smith, DJ Moore, Devin Funchess, Jarius Wright and Curtis Samuel are roster locks, the fight for a receiver spot becomes fierce. Right now, I'd say the sixth receiver spot is Damiere Byrd's to lose (that is, if Carolina even keeps six).
I'm excited for rookie tight end Ian Thomas. Everything we heard about him was that he's raw as a football player and I have to say, that seems about right.
Thomas was targetted four times and caught one pass for two yards. He almost had another reception, but bobbled the ball and couldn't drag both feet inbounds. It's a catch he'll learn to make.
Thanks very much for reading. Remember, I'm just a super passionate Panthers fan who loves to write and talk about this team. You reading literally means the world to me. Feel free to send me any recommendations for future write-ups, or to tell me you think I'm dead wrong about Artis-Payne... whatever! I seriously welcome discourse. Remember, Panthers fam.. Keep Pounding.
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