Finding last week’s winners amongst the Carolina Panthers after a listless 20-3 loss wasn’t exactly the most apt exercise to partake in. But fast-forward just six days later and, oh, how the turn tables.
Carolina bounced back from their downer of a performance against the Baltimore Ravens and smashed the Pittsburgh Steelers on Friday night, 34-9. Albeit a smashing of their backups, it was a smashing nonetheless.
So let’s try to sort out the winners and losers, if we can find any of those, from the Panthers’ 2021 preseason finale.
Winner: Joe Brady
We could put quarterback Sam Darnold here, but he’s already won the starting job. So there’s nothing for him to win at the moment.
Instead, we’ll go with Brady. The second-year offensive coordinator recently waxed poetic about the chemistry between himself and Darnold, saying he “has something” in his new vessel. Well, it looks like he did on Friday night, as Darnold’s sizzling arm strength and developing decision-making made for a nice fit in Brady’s play-calling.
Winner: Jaycee Horn
The 2021 eighth overall pick is, so far, as advertised. He was one of the standout performers in another exciting outing from the defense, clicking in that seatbelt on receivers that came his way.
Jaycee Horn giving DROY energy 😤 pic.twitter.com/9KMC56s2Mv
— PFF College (@PFF_College) August 27, 2021
Loser: Panthers secondary as a whole
Even though the team has made significant strides in improving their personnel at cornerback, they still aren’t very deep there. Rashaan Melvin went down with a groin injury in this one and did not return.
If Melvin isn’t back for Week 1, that’ll add to the list that already includes a suspended A.J. Bouye and a lost-for-the-seaosn Troy Pride Jr.
Winner: Ryan Santoso
Santoso did all he could to kick his competition off the spot. He successfully booted through each of his five kicks, including field goals of 52 and 27 yards.
His job still isn’t assured, however, as the Panthers can regain the seventh-round pick they sent to the New York Giants for Santoso if they don’t play him in more than two games.
Loser: Joey Slye
The aforementioned competition, Slye, is probably on the outs now. He missed his lone field goal attempt, a 49-yard try, right after Santoso’s 52-yarder.
He’s struggled through most of the summer and hasn’t been able to break out of his funk despite the constant support from the team.
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