The Carolina Panthers were on the wrong side of NFL history in Week 1.
They allowed a whopping 59 points to the Chicago Bears. Combined with the Panthers’ encouraging 37 points of their own, they had scored the most points in an NFL season opener ever — and being on the losing side of such a stat isn’t what you want at all.
In Week 2, though, everything was looking up for the Panthers.
From 59 points allowed to 3.
It’s one of the craziest week-to-week turnarounds you’ll see in sports.
Sure, the Panthers weren’t taking on Caleb Williams this week, but you can only play who’s on the other side.
And this time, the Panthers took advantage of their opportunity and shut down their NFC South Division rival.
How Panthers Changed Everything
The first point here is key: Instead of Caleb Williams, it was Cooper Rush and then Jack Strand playing quarterback on the other side.
Yes, that was easier.
Carolina still had to stick to its assignments and get the job done.
It started on the very first play from scrimmage. Rush ran for nine yards on a scramble, but then the Panthers forced a fumble and recovered. One play, one turnover.
The defense didn’t let up from there.
Devin Lloyd had a sack. So did big-money acquisition Jaelan Phillips. Lloyd had an early interception, as did Bobby Okereke.
The exclamation point was this: Lloyd grabbed his second interception of the game late in the third quarter, and he took it back 16 yards for a touchdown.
The Falcons gained 286 yards, an average of 4.3 yards per play.
Given how the Panthers’ offense is playing, that’s very manageable.
Panthers’ Offense Does It Again
Carolina scored 37 points in Week 1, as mentioned, and didn’t slow down much in Week 2, putting up another 34 points in a 34-3 win.
Bryce Young was sharp again. He was 23-for-36 passing the football for 287 yards and three touchdowns.
Young hit Tetaiora McMillan five times for 101 yards, and he had Jalen Coker eight times for 66 yards.
He even found Xavier Legette twice for 64 yards, including a 55-yard bomb.
The big development: Darren Waller caught three passes for 33 yards, including two touchdowns.
Young also threw a touchdown to Chuba Hubbard.
Hubbard also ran the ball 12 times for 53 yards. Even with the Panthers averaging just 3.1 yards per run, they rolled on this day thanks to Young and their defense.
If that combination can look more like this going forward, Carolina will have a great chance of defending its division title — and potentially do it in better fashion this time around than the 8-9 record a year ago.
Panthers’ Wild Change Makes Huge Statement