It was not a good game for the Carolina Panthers on Saturday night. They lost to the Baltimore Ravens 20-3 in their second exhibition game of the summer. Instead of going into all of the gory details, here are four semi-positive takes from the game.
1. Starting defense – The Panthers’ starters did not play for a long stretch, but when they were out on the field, they were impactful. Almost all of the starters on defense played two series against Ravens backup quarterback Tyler Huntley’s edition of their offense and the Panthers looked in mid-season form.
The Ravens got the early momentum with their running game, rushing for 23 yards on three straight carries. The drive was halted with a timely interception by defensive end Haason Reddick.
Reddick benefited from the help of two defensive teammates, linebacker Shaq Thompson and defensive tackle Derrick Brown. Thompson came at top speed off the edge to apply pressure in the face of Huntley, making his pass get deflected by Brown and picked off by Reddick.
The next drive by the Ravens hit another snag, with defensive end Brian Burns making an explosive stop. He identified a read option and pushed Huntley back for a two-yard loss for a near-safety to force a punt.
Defensive coordinator Phil Snow and the other coaches want a fast and hard hitting defense and so far, it seems like they are getting their wish.
2. Frankie Luvu looking good – Even though Frankie Luvu started in Saturday’s game, he probably will not start Week 1. However, he will make the opening day roster in a reserve role, September 12, against the New York Jets.
Luvu put his best foot forward against the Ravens in the first half. He was part of the key defensive stop with Burns, where he took Huntley on a 2nd-and-10 play to force an incompletion.
Luvu continued to impress, causing a forced fumble by receiver Josh Oliver that wound up in the hands of safety Sean Chandler. Luvu was able to end an 11-play drive that got all the way to the Panthers red zone. Once again, Luvu made his presence felt in the second half when he batted down a pass on a third-down stop.
Denzel Perryman, if healthy, will take over the starting job from Luvu, maybe as soon as next week. The four-year veteran has been impressive throughout camp and will have a spot on the team when the season starts in a few weeks.
3. Will Grier vs. P.J. Walker – The Panthers did not get much done on the offensive side of the football. Will Grier completed 11-of-14 passes for 144 yards. He had a couple of nice throws to rookie receivers Terrace Marshall and Shi Smith.
Walker did not have it on Saturday, only completing one-of-eight for eight yards. The offense only converted two of eleven third-down plays with just eight first downs throughout the entire game, with a grand total of 189 total yards.
4. Chuba Hubbard working – Rookie running back Chuba Hubbard was everywhere on the field Saturday. He started by carrying the rock seven times for 24 rushing yards, with two additional carries by the end of the contest.
Hubbard also contributed to the passing game by catching two passes for 29 yards and making a huge block on a 17-yard bomb from Grier to Smith. Hubbard showed what he could do on special teams, downing a punt from Joseph Charlton at the Baltimore 3-yard line.
Carolina appreciates that Hubbard is a jack-of-all-trades and it will have to be seen where he fits in their plans as the preseason comes to an end.
