A note on the Panthers defensive performance.

[Jeremy Igo]

Just some facts about the defensive performance we witnessed yesterday. 

• Carolina’s defense held the Cardinals to a season-low 262 total yards. Entering Week 4, Arizona’s offense was averaging 406.3 yards per game, 10th in NFL.
• Cardinals WR DeAndre Hopkins, who entered the game with the league-lead in receiving yards and receptions, was held to just 41 receiving yards on seven receptions.
•  In the first half, the Panthers defense held Arizona to just 98 net yards (54 passing, 40 rushing), the fewest yardage allowed in a first half since 12/30/18 vs New Orleans (95). Cardinals QB Kyler Murray threw for 54 yards in the first half, the third fewest in a first half in his career.

We all knew the Panthers offense would put up points this year. No one predicted the Panthers defense would look this legitimate this early on. 

 

[hepcat]

I have to think that Rhule and Snow’s history playing Kingsbury and even Murray in college helped them in this game.

Also, the Cardinals offense is predictable. They do a bunch of screens and swing passes towards the sidelines. Panthers completely shut that down and it looked like Hopkins wasn’t 100%, so they didn’t have much down field to work with aside from the TE who caught a few down the seam.

Overall, I am impressed the team managed to out coach another squad for the first time in a long time. If we start seeing this happen against veteran QBs with established winning coaches (cough cough SAINTS cough), oooh wee mayne!

[nctarheelreincarnated]

13 minutes ago, hepcat said:

I have to think that Rhule and Snow’s history playing Kingsbury and even Murray in college helped them in this game.

Also, the Cardinals offense is predictable. They do a bunch of screens and swing passes towards the sidelines. Panthers completely shut that down and it looked like Hopkins wasn’t 100%, so they didn’t have much down field to work with aside from the TE who caught a few down the seam.

Overall, I am impressed the team managed to out coach another squad for the first time in a long time. If we start seeing this happen against veteran QBs with established winning coaches (cough cough SAINTS cough), oooh wee mayne!

Let’s see what they can do in ATL. 

[BrianS]

And we're doing this with what is probably the worst MLB in the league this year.  Imagine Luke at the middle of THIS defense.  Oh man.  FFS, we're paying Shaq enough, put him in the middle.

[Jeremy Igo]

Just now, BrianS said:

Imagine Luke at the middle of THIS defense. 

Don't make me cry.

[TheCasillas]

18 minutes ago, BrianS said:

And we're doing this with what is probably the worst MLB in the league this year.  Imagine Luke at the middle of THIS defense.  Oh man.  FFS, we're paying Shaq enough, put him in the middle.

Shaq was basically Playing middle linebacker when we ran out joker defense. We ran the joker defense quite a bit yesterday. Can’t wait to see snap counts.

[Adb6368]

18 minutes ago, BrianS said:

And we're doing this with what is probably the worst MLB in the league this year.  Imagine Luke at the middle of THIS defense. 

Well see it next year when he comes out of retirement now that he sees the potential of the team and has rested up. 

[DeAngelo Beason]

And it was all coaching.  Phil Snow actually philosophically adapts to his opponent.  Felt like in the old days the Panthers had two ideas when it came to defense... blitz or don't blitz.

Shame Luke is gone.  Would have loved to see what this guy could do with him.  Something inside me says Luke will want to come back next year if this team has the potential that I suspect it may.

[BPF]

Have to say the happiest I could be is the fact the D is playing harder and we aren't out there looking soft, getting ran all over. That was the biggest anomaly to me, was just how awful our run defense had been the last few years. After the first game I thought, here we go again, and now I'm excited to have been completely wrong as they begin to gel and really be playing week to week style of defense. So refreshing to see this style of coaching. 

[stbugs]

I’m amazed at how well the D is playing. Weeks 1-2 got me ready for the 30ppg we’ve seen the last year and a half. I’m super impressed by the coaching. That said, it’s just two weeks but it’s very promising.