Cat Scratch Reader
The Carolina Panthers are officially going streaking. We’ve watched enough wins now this season that I feel more comfortable picking a few nits over how this win was achieved, but the bottom line is that this beautiful, deeply flawed team has produced its most enjoyable stretch of football since at least 2018. We’re going to celebrate this later.
For now, let’s all keep our fingers crossed that Bryce Young’s ankle heals in record time. For better and worse, and there’s plenty of both to go around on him, he’s the best quarterback on the roster right now. The Panthers will need him back by Week 10 to have even an outside shot at holding on to second place in the NFC South or making any more noise this season.
The man may not have put up the outrageous numbers that keyed the first two wins in the Panthers current streak, but he brought the same ferocity and power to the game coming off the bench behind Chuba Hubbard that he did when he decided he could probably beat the Dallas Cowboys by himself.
Game script, offensive line injuries, and questionable play calling cost him a few yards each, but he has more than proven himself worthy of being option 1A in a two-back backfield.
The Panthers had faith in their former first round pick despite early and significant struggles on the field this season. Legette rewarded that faith yesterday with a career-high stat line while Tetairoa McMillan was held in check by Sauce Gardner.
Nine receptions on eleven targets for 92 yards and a touchdown is about the ceiling for any receiver under the current quarterbacking for the Panthers. Legette hitting that plateau gives credence to the theory that this receiver corps can support a significant a level up in the passing game.
I could spend 1,000 words each on Derrick Brown and Jaycee Horn deciding to try out the fad all-Jet diet this weekend. Both men came to that game hungry, ate for themselves, and set up their teammates to do the same. The Jets have a known terrible offense, but the Panthers defense feasted against both quarterbacks and in all four quarters.
You don’t exceed your season total in sacks in one Week 7 game without a) playing a terrible team and b) having a terrible track record of your own. I don’t think the Panthers have figured out the secret to their pass rush going forwards, but I do hope that they can replicate some of this success going forwards. Rookies Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen both seemed to take steps forward yesterday. Defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero also had some fun creating pressures with creative uses of safety Tre’von Moehrig.
There’s room for hope and sustainable improvement, but let’s maybe expect a step backwards against the Buffalo Bills next week. Unless, of course, Brown and Horn decide they’re open to winning another game on...
