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CHARLOTTE – There were a lot of individual highlights for the Panthers Sunday.
But the best part for them was the fact that a lot of guys got into it, and for the first time in a minute the Panthers are 2-0.
A 26-7 win over the Saints came with a lot of positives they’ll be taking in a short week, before next Thursday’s game against the Texans.
Having lost four in a row and eight of the last nine to the Saints (including the playoffs), any victory against New Orleans was welcome.
And being 2-0 for the first time since 2017 was a nice bonus.
Other than Christian McCaffrey who left the field in the third quarter with cramps (after touching the ball 21 times) and an odd interception when Sam Darnold was pressured, there wasn’t much to separate. The fact that it was 17-0 when those two calamities happened – and McCaffrey returned after a quick trip to the locker room and scored later – gave the Panthers a sigh of relief.
Without Drew Brees on the other side tormenting them, the Panthers kept pushing, which is becoming a trend.
The Panthers’ defense was even more dominant than a week ago against the Jets, keeping the clamps on a Saints offense that scored 38 against the Packers a week ago.
They limited the Saints to 128 yards, their smallest number ever under head coach Sean Payton, and the least the Panthers have allowed in 54 all-time games against New Orleans. The Panthers have also sacked quarterback Jameis Winston four times, punched him 11 times and knocked him out twice.
Sacks came from four different Panthers, hits from seven different guys, and there were interceptions by Juston Burris and Jaycee Horn.
It was a rather collective effort.
And aside from that turnover, Darnold was keen.
He scored 26 of 38 for 305 yards and two touchdowns.
McCaffrey finished the game with 137 yards on 29 touches, including a fourth quarter touchdown that took away any remaining doubt.
On top of what becomes the normal big day for DJ Moore (eight catches for 79 yards), it was an effective if not incredible day against a exhausted Saints defense.
The Saints were without Marshon Lattimore and Chauncey Gardner-Johnson (in addition to the two starters placed on IR this week, and all eight coaches resisted due to COVID-19), and it shows.
The Panthers quickly took the lead, with Darnold having another excellent first half (16 of 20 for 216 yards and two touchdowns). Then, they were able to hold on, a little more comfortably than a week ago against the Jets.
It’s still a work in progress, but at least they’re making progress.
– The kicking thing is one thing again.
New kicker Zane Gonzalez saw a 50-yard field goal blocked and missed an extra point in the fourth quarter.
He will be there for the next two weeks, as you have to guarantee three weeks salary and a place on the squad when you sign a player from another squad’s practice squad (Gonzalez was with the Lions).
But after cutting the bait on Ryan Santoso rather than giving up a seventh-round pick for him, after cutting the bait on now Texas kicker Joey Slye, it’s something they need to watch out for.
Gonzalez scored a 42-yard field goal in the fourth quarter, but that’s what it’s going to be when you get some replacement level kickers.
– The Panthers have a few injuries to watch out for in the short week.
Left guard Pat Elflein left early in the second quarter with a hamstring injury and did not return. He was replaced in training by Dennis Daley.
Daley left for a streak in the second half and was replaced by Brady Christensen.
Left tackle Cameron Erving and Burris each left briefly but returned, and defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos also limped off the pitch with an ankle injury.
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