Tag: Jeremy Chinn

Jeremy Chinn shines, Teddy Bridgewater flops in Panthers’ heartbreaking defeat

Is it good if your best source of offense comes from your defense? Asking for a friend . . .

Is it good if your best source of offense comes from your defense? Asking for a friend . . .

Well, it’s not good if you’re Teddy Bridgewater, whose struggles on Sunday held the Carolina Panthers back from a second straight victory. The team’s 28-27 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, a setback that not only impacted their immediate future by squashing any playoff hopes that remained, gave us another look into what their future shouldn’t be—one with No. 5 still under center.

In his return off a knee injury that kept him out of Carolina’s 20-0 win last week, Bridgewater was anything but sharp—which is one supposed attribute his game hangs its hat on. The box score, at least in this instance, does tell the story, as the league’s second-most accurate thrower in 2020 completed just 19 of his 36 attempts for 267 yards, one touchdown and an interception. But, quite frankly, those numbers put lipstick on a pig of a performance.

Bridgewater was off from the start, connecting just once on his first seven tries. After getting some help from Curtis Samuel on a 17-yard completion for his eighth, his ninth wound up right in the hands of Vikings linebacker Eric Kendricks, ending an 11-play drive at the Minnesota 12-yard line.

To be fair, this turnover was in-part due to a strange design, as it crossed up a wide receiver and a running back into the same space. So, who do you hit? Welp . . . Bridgewater’s throw really didn’t answer that question, as it was too far behind Robby Anderson and too far ahead of Mike Davis.

Anderson would (sort-of) get burned by his quarterback again, this time on a 34-yard completion that very well could have been a 65-yard touchdown. Robby hit a slick double move on cornerback Kris Boyd to free himself downfield. Teddy, however, threw towards the sideline rather than straight ahead towards the end zone, putting a big cap on the play.

Despite the huge gain, this drive resulted in a field goal, trading off seven points for just three. With no Vikings defender over the top of Anderson, though, Bridgewater missed a potential backbreaker that could’ve given the Panthers a 28-13 lead with 13 minutes left in the game.

Bridgewater, instead, broke his own team’s back on Minnesota’s three-yard line with 1:56 remaining. Up 24-21 and coming off a muffed punt from Vikings returner Chad Beebe, he missed an open DJ Moore in the end zone on a third-down try. The throw also crossed up Moore and caused a non-contact injury to his ankle.

The Panthers settled for another field goal, went ahead by just six points and set the stage for a seven-play, 75-yard game-winning touchdown drive by Minnesota that ended in the mitts of (you guessed it) Chad Beebe. Redemption!

Anyway, now for the good news portion of our recap. Remember when we mentioned earlier in this here recap that the best offense came from the defense? Yup, enter Jeremy Chinn.

Chinn racked up 12 points by his lonesome, scooping up a fumble for a 17-yard touchdown return to start the second half. Then, on the very next play from scrimmage, he’d strip running Dalvin Cook, snatch that ball up and bring it back for 28 yards and another six points.

The Panthers have had noted troubles all season getting a grasp out of the break, averaging only 3.1 points per third quarter (28th in the NFL). Apparently, Chinn had enough, becoming the first defensive player in league history to score on consecutive snaps.

Carolina’s do-it-all stud has been doing exactly that (it all) throughout the entire season. He’s lined up literally everywhere, save for the interior of the line, in amassing a gaudy 87 total tackles to lead all rookies.

And, yes, that play has put him at the top of the list for Defensive Rookie of the Year candidates. That’s nice and all. But, more importantly, it has given the Panthers an assurance the previous player mentioned above has not.

With Chinn, the Panthers know they have a future pillar. Like Brian Burns, his versatility, skill set and blinding quickness has the franchise and its fans looking ahead to a bright future.

In a year where their defense was anything but certain, Burns and Chinn have been.

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Panthers DB Jeremy Chinn makes NFL history with 2 touchdowns in 18 seconds

Jeremy Chinn of the Panthers scored a pair of TDs in 18 seconds. He is a defensive back.

It is hard enough for any team to score a pair of touchdowns in 18 seconds, let alone one player on defense.

The Carolina Panthers’ Jeremy Chinn did just that Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings.

Chinn took a fumble recovery back 18 yards to give Carolina a 14-10 lead after the PAT.

Then, the DB found the end zone, again, with a 28-yard fumble recovery. After the PAT, the Panthers had a 21-10 lead over the stunned Vikings.

As NFL legend Gil Brandt points out, Chinn made history with those two plays.

 

Panthers Highlights: Jeremy Chinn scores 2 touchdowns in a row

The Panthers now lead 21-10 early in the third quarter.

With their quarterback struggling, the Panthers needed somebody else to step up and make an impact. They just got a pair of them from their standout rookie on the first plays of the second half.

Watch Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins cough up a fumble after taking a hit from defensive tackle Zach Kerr, leading to an easy scoop and score for rookie Jeremy Chinn.

On the very next play, Chinn improbably picked up another fumble – this one by Dalvin Cook – and returned that one for a touchdown, too.

What a turnaround.

The Panthers now lead 21-10 early in the third quarter.

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Panthers rookie watch: Derrick Brown’s hustle, Jeremy Chinn’s big hit

Panthers rookie watch: Reviewing Derrick Brown’s hustle and Jeremy Chinn’s hit from Week 11 win vs. Lions, plus a CB rotation.

The Panthers pitched a shutout for just the eighth time in franchise history yesterday, blanking the Lions in a 20-0 home win. They wouldn’t have done it without a solid performance from their rookie class of 2020.

Here is how the first-year players did against Detroit.

Derrick Brown showed his hustle

He still hasn’t gotten his first sack. First-round pick Derrick Brown came close a couple of times, though. Watch Brown chase down Matt Stafford from behind and get a hit just after his release.

That was one of two quarterback hits for Brown on the day.

Yetur Gross-Matos still working into rotation

Elsewhere up front, Yetur Gross-Matos split a sack with Efe Obada, his first since Week 4. That said, even after Stephen Weatherly went on the injured reserve list, his playing time has remained relatively limited for a high draft pick. Marquis Haynes (who balled out) wound up playing one more snap than Gross-Matos on Sunday.

Jeremy Chinn lit a Lion up

As for the reigning Defensive Rookie of the Month, Chinn was on the field for every defensive snap and pitched in four tackles, including that one time he killed a man.

In general, Chinn was relatively quiet compared to what we’ve become accustomed to. That’s fine, though. This year he’s been forced to make a disproportionate number of stops because the defenders around him (most notably Tahir Whitehead) were failing to do so. With Whitehead out and Jermaine Carter Jr. playing middle linebacker, the defense as a whole was much more on point, taking much of the work off Chinn’s shoulders.

Troy Pride, Stantley Thomas-Oliver traded reps

With Donte Jackson finally getting to rest his lingering toe injury, the Panthers tried something different at his position. Instead of giving all the reps to disappointing fourth-rounder Troy Pride Jr., they had him rotating with seventh-round pick Stantley Thomas-Oliver, who had seen very limited action this year. In the end, Pride played 33 defensive snaps and Thomas-Oliver 20. They combined for three tackles.

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Touchdown Wire’s Top 12 NFL rookies in the 2020 season

Looking at some of the best rookies in the league through ten weeks of the season.

Earlier this week, ESPN writers released their countdown of the top ten rookies in the NFL this season.

It… got some attention.

Putting together any kind of list like that is destined to become a lightning rod, because trying to encapsulate the top players around the league, whether rookies or veterans, is something that everyone can drop an opinion on.

Including us here at Touchdown Wire.

So not to be outdone, here is Touchdown Wire’s Top 12 rookies this season. This is based primarily on film study of the league over the entire season to date. Because there are many deserving players, we also included an Honorable Mention section for those who are worthy of mention but did not quite make the cut.

Panthers rookie watch: Jeremy Chinn’s humbling experience vs. Tampa

Here is how the class of 2020 did in round two against Tampa.

Everyone has their own welcome to the NFL, rookie moments. This past week was one of them. The Carolina Panthers’ most promising rookie defender had a rough game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Here is how the class of 2020 did in round two against Tampa.

The defensive linemen flashed

Carolina’s defensive line didn’t have much luck against the Bucs. We did get to see a couple of flashes from the rookies, though. Derrick Brown and Yetur Gross-Matos combined for eight tackles, one QB hit and one TFL.

Sixth-round pick Bravvion Roy chipped in another three tackles and two quarerback hits of his own.

Jeremy Chinn had a setback

It was a long afternoon for the reigning Defensive Rookie of the Month. Chinn is the team’s best option to defend tight ends, but it’s a low bar. He allowed a touchdown on a pass to Cameron Brate in the first quarter.

Later, Chinn couldn’t cover or tackle Rob Gronkowski on what turned into a 44-yard gain for Tampa.

Chinn’s passer rating allowed for the season is now up to 99.1.

It wasn’t all bad for No. 21, though. He came through with a quality stop against Leonard Fournette, here.

Chinn also had a chance to pull off a vintage Julio Jones/D.K. Metcalf chasedown of Ronald Jones II on his 98-yard touchdown run. He couldn’t maintain his top speed long enough, though and his failed diving tackle attempt sealed the deal.

It’s important to remember that Chinn may not be operating at 100% right now. He missed the previous game with a knee injury and was listed as questionable coming into this one. Even if he was hurt, Chinn still played 90% of the team’s defensive snaps.

Sam Franklin started again

Undrafted rookie safety Sam Franklin was in the starting lineup again for the fourth straight game even after Juston Burris was activated from injured reserve. Burris wound up playing more defensive snaps though, 50 (62%) to 32 (40%). Still, Franklin held his own and posted four tackles.

Joseph Charlton thrived

It’s been a low-key sharp rookie year for South Carolina’s Joseph Charlton. In addition to moonlighting as a QB, he has a heck of a leg. Charlton totaled 54.3 yards per punt attempt on Sunday, bringing his season average up to 47.5. He pinned two kicks inside the five.

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Panthers Week 10 injury report: 4 players out, 4 limited on Wednesday

The Carolina Panthers have been playing banged up most of the season. Why should Week 10 be any different?

The Carolina Panthers have been playing banged up most of the season. Why should Week 10 be any different? Star running back Christian McCaffrey and three other players did not participate in today’s practice, while four others were limited.

Here is your first look at this week’s injury report.

Player Injury Wed Thu Fri Status
RB Christian McCaffrey Shoulder DNP
OT Russell Okung Calf DNP
DE Stephen Weatherly Finger DNP
TE Ian Thomas Not-injury-related DNP
LB Jeremy Chinn Knee Limited
DB Juston Burris Rib Limited
RB Reggie Bonnafon Ankle Limited
DE Marquis Haynes Shoulder Limited
DE Yetur Gross-Matos Ankle Full
CB Donte Jackson Toe Full

McCaffrey hasn’t officially been ruled out yet, but all signs point to that being the case this week. Coach Matt Rhule told reporters he has an AC joint issue and probably won’t play. He said that he considers McCaffrey week-to-week.

Russell Okung and Jeremy Chinn are the other critical names to watch.

While Okung has blocked at a high level when he’s been out there, the left tackle situation has been a revolving door all year due to his ongoing injury problems. Okung has now missed four of the team’s nine games. Greg Little, Trent Scott and Dennis Daley have all tried their hand and nobody has performed well consistently as of yet.

Chinn is of course the team’s most versatile and important defensive playmaker. He lines up all over the field and covers a ton of ground. The Panthers missed him sorely in Sunday’s loss to the Chiefs, especially when they were having trouble covering tight end Travis Kelce – who could not be contained and posted a game-high 159 receiving yards.

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4 takeaways from Panthers coach Matt Rhule’s Monday press conference

Rhule held a press conference with the media via Zoom today. Here are four takeaways from that conversation.

The Panthers lost their fourth-straight game on Sunday, this time on the road against the Chiefs. As bleak as things look in the standings, this young team showed a lot of moxy against the defending champs and proved they believe in coach Matt Rhule’s leadership.

Following the loss, Rhule held a press conference with the media via Zoom today. Here are four takeaways from that conversation.

Panthers Week 9 inactives: Jeremy Chinn ruled out vs. Chiefs

Panthers Week 9 inactives: Jeremy Chinn ruled out vs. Chiefs

The Panthers will be playing without their star rookie Jeremy Chinn against the Chiefs today. He has been ruled out due to a knee injury which had him limited in practice this week. Starting left tackle Russell Okung was also downgraded on Saturday and is not traveling with the team.

Here is the full inactives list for Week 9.

DB/LB Jeremy Chinn
OT Russell Okung
QB P.J. Walker
WR Marken Michel
S Sean Chandler
G Michael Schofield
DT Bruce Hector

The Panthers will apparently go with a by-committee approach to replace the numerous things Chinn does for this defense, according to Phil Snow.

On offense, expect another rotation at left tackle with Okung out yet again. Dennis Daley will get the start, though. Walker being listed here means that Will Grier is the backup QB behind Teddy Bridgewater this week, a change from the last several games.

Here is the list for the Chiefs.

WR Sammy Watkins
S Tedrick Thompson
LB Darius Harris
DE Demone Harris
OT Mitchell Schwartz
TE Ricky Seals-Jones
DT Khalen Saunders

Kansas City has enough weapons for Watkins ‘absence to not matter much. Schwartz is a blow, though. Former Panther Mike Remmers has been playing right tackle in his place.

Check back after the game for highlights and analysis.

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Panthers injury updates: Jeremy Chinn, 2 others questionable vs. Chiefs

Even though he was upgraded on Thursday, Chinn is one of three players who have been listed as questionable for Sunday’s game.

The big question for the Panthers this week is whether or not the reigning Defensive Rookie of the Month Jeremy Chinn will be able to play against the Chiefs. It sounds like we may have to wait until 90 minutes before kickoff to find out. Even though he was upgraded on Thursday, Chinn is one of three players who have been listed as questionable for Sunday’s game.

Here is the team’s complete Week 9 injury report.

Player Inury Wed Thu Fri Status
LB/DB Jeremy Chinn Knee DNP Limited Limited Questionable
OT Russell Okung Calf Limited Limited DNP Doubtful
DT Zach Kerr Toe Limited Full Full Questionable
CB Donte Jackson Toe Full Full Full –
CB Corn Elder Neck Limited Full Full –
QB Teddy Bridgewater Neck Full Full Full –
DE Marquis Haynes Shoulder – DNP Limited Questionable
TE Chris Manhertz Shoulder – Full Full –

If starter Russell Okung is ruled out again, the Panthers will likely rely on a rotation of Trent Scott and Greg Little at left tackle. Neither has proven consistent enough to lock down the job as of yet.

As for Zach Kerr, last week rookie Bravvion Roy started in his place next to Derrick Brown. That would likely continue if Kerr is unavailable.

Replacing Chinn is far more difficult, though. Defensive coordinator Phil Snow told reporters that it will be a committee approach if Chinn can’t play.

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