The Carolina Panthers are off to a good start in 2018 after a 16-8 win against the Dallas Cowboys in week one. The game was not a pretty one by any means and was somewhere in between a defensive battle and an offensive struggle. Despite the win, the Panthers have a lot of areas to clean up before they square off with their division rival, the Atlanta Falcons in week two. Here is a breakdown of who was hot and who was cold during the Panthers week one win.
Hot or Cold? Dallas Cowboys vs Carolina Panthers
Hot:
Luke Kuechly:
When is Kuechly not on the “hot” list? The veteran linebacker got off to a solid start in 2018 after racking up 11 tackles in the season opener. As in most games, Kuechly was all over the field and the heart and soul of the defense. Panthers fans got an early scare in 2018 when the former defensive player of the year went down with a leg injury in the 2nd half. However, he was well enough to make a return. Still, that’ll be something to monitor during the week. All in all, Kuechly was the monster Panthers fans know and love in week one. He continues to be the anchor of the defense.
Heat Level: 1,000,000 degrees.
Shaq Thompson:
Notice a trend? Many defensive players shined for the Panthers in week one. Fourth-year linebacker Thompson was no different. The Panthers knew Thompson would be an important piece of the defense this year, especially without veteran leader Thomas Davis. Davis is serving a four-game suspension to begin the year. Thompson had an impressive nine tackles from his outside linebacker spot. He also had a key sack late in the game. The effort was one of the best games of his young career. Defensive coordinator Eric Washington is probably thrilled with the effort of the Shaq Attack.
Heat level: The sun.
Kawann Short:
The big man in the middle also got off to a hot start this season, posting a two-sack performance against the Cowboys. Not only did Short get the two sacks, he also created constant pressure on Dak Prescott all afternoon and helped limit Ezekiel Elliott in the running game. With the acquisition of Dontari Poe this off-season, the Panthers have a very formidable defensive tackle duo. Their strength showed in week one. Carolina is reliant on being able to pressure the opposing quarterback. Short has been extremely reliable for a handful of years now.
Heat level: The African Sahara.
Cold:
The Panthers health:
The biggest negative of the week one win over Dallas was something that nobody can predict or prevent, injuries. The first key Panther to go down was veteran tight end and leader, Greg Olsen. Olsen came up lame early in the game after stepping on a defender who fell while running a route. He limped off the field. Olsen was later seen with crutches on the sideline and a cast on his right foot. This was the same surgically repaired foot that Olsen injured last season. It was later discovered that he had indeed broken the foot again and will miss significant time.
The second injury happened to promising tackle Daryl Williams. The 26-year-old, who was originally supposed to be out until fall with a knee injury, re-injured the same knee. The Panthers did not go into detail on the injury but did state that Williams will undergo surgery in the coming days. These are huge blows to the offense and will definitely impact the team’s chances at serious success.
Freezing Level: Antarctica in winter.
D.J. Moore:
The Panthers first-round pick struggled on and off the field much of the preseason. He was essentially nonexistent against the Cowboys. Moore played just 17 of 67 offensive snaps for the team. He was not a threat when he was in the game, having just one rush for 3 yards and drawing zero targets. When the Panthers used a first-round pick on the Maryland product in this year’s draft, the team had high hopes for him. For whatever reason Moore has gotten off to a shaky start in black and blue. He could just be having trouble adjusting to Norv Turner‘s playbook. Moore will look to be on the field more come week two.
Freezing Level: A snowy day in Alaska.
Being well-disciplined:
The Panthers finished 2017 as the least penalized team in the league, a true testament to being well coached and understanding to be smart in key situations. However, the Panthers nearly doubled their 2017 per game average of penalties in the first contest. Included in this, were a handful of offensive line holdings that constantly backed-up Cam Newton and the offense. The Panthers were able to overcome these mistakes against the Cowboys, however, they might be more of an issue when the Panthers play better teams. With a young offensive line and a young secondary, the Panthers cannot afford to be handing other teams free yardage.
Freezing Level: A well-cooled hockey rink.
Main Photo:
Embed from Getty Images
