In a game showcasing two previous first-round picks at signal caller, Sam Darnold showed what the Carolina Panthers offense could look like in the upcoming season. With Darnold under center, the Panthers had a 17-0 lead going into halftime. They went on to win the game by 25 points, 34-9 over the Pittsburgh Steelers, who sat most of their starters.
In the first half, Darnold went 19-of-25 for a total of 162 yards, which included touchdown passes to rookie WR Terrace Marshall (13 yards) and WR Robby Anderson (8 yards). Darnold’s number one target was pass catcher DJ Moore, who had six receptions for 48 yards.
It was a forgettable night for Dwayne Haskins, who is competing for the backup quarterback position against Mason Rudolph. Haskins struggled from the outset, going 5-of-12 for 38 yards and threw a pick in his first eight series of work. Haskins finished strong after coming in for injured QB Josh Dobbs late in the fourth quarter. He connected on his final four passes for 70 yards, which included a 22-yard touchdown pass to Ray-Ray McCloud. Haskins finished with 108 yards, with a touchdown and an interception on 9-of-16 passing.
Brian Burns came up big defensively for the Panthers with an interception of Haskins that went off the fingertips of Derek Watt late in the first quarter. Rookie cornerback Jaycee Horn and safety Jeremy Chinn disrupted Haskins throughout the first half. DE Yetu Gross-Matos had a fourth quarter sack on Pittsburgh QB Josh Dobbs.
Here are some closer take on the game from Friday night.
1. Why the Panthers won – Carolina’s offense was able to get whatever they wanted on the Steelers backup defense. There was nothing Pittsburgh could do to stop Moore and Marshall. The duo caught nine passes for a combined 91 receiving yards in the first half. Carolina got their running game going as well, featuring Spencer Brown and Chuba Hubbard. Hubbard nearly out-gained the entire Steeler’s offense in the first two quarters of play with a total of 51 yards. Brown eluded many attempted tackles on a 20-yard touchdown scamper to start the second half.
2. Why the Steelers lost – The Steelers played a very sloppy game. Along with Haskins’ interception, they gave the ball away when returner Matthew Sexton muffed a punt, which led to the Panthers first score. Rookie DB Tre Norwood dropped a would-be interception in the first half, while linebacker Robert Spillane continued to have a hard time in pass coverage. Offensively, Pittsburgh had their struggles. They did not convert on a third-down until late in the third quarter.
3. Turning point – The Steelers came up with two defensive plays that halted drives in the first half. Pressure on QB Darnold caused an incomplete fourth down pass, which gave the ball back to the Steelers. After getting the ball back, the Panthers missed a 49-yard field goal, which was made more challenging after LB Jamir Jones got a sack on Darnold.
The Steelers defense finally crumbled following Sexton’s fumble and Marshall scored on a screen pass. Pittsburgh’s defense did not have a chance to gather themselves before having to take the field again. Carolina’s offense took advantage, with Darnold leading a 12-play, 84-yard drive, which resulted in a touchdown.
4. Play of the game – Marshall showed Panther fans what could be in store this season by scoring the game’s first six points. He broke several tackles while following a line of Carolina blockers to the end zone.
The Steelers will travel to Buffalo to take on the Bills for Week 1 of the regular season. Darnold will face his old organization when the Panthers host Zach Wilson and the New York Jets on September 12.
