Opportunity knocked for Kyle Allen last week in Glendale, Ariz., as the undrafted 23-year-old backup was tasked with quarterbacking a Carolina Panthers team who had not only lost their first two games, but their salvation of the last decade in Cam Newton. And he answered, with four touchdowns and a much-needed victory.
This Sunday, however, saw opportunity knock for his teammates—particularly those on the other side of the ball—to help mask a much less memorable start. Luckily, that door would also be opened.
Despite three lost fumbles by Allen, the Panthers moved to 2-2 on the campaign with a 16-10 victory over the Houston Texans. A stout, stingy and suffocating defensive performance—one that limited a normally explosive offense to just 264 total yards—impressively led the way.
Carolina, perhaps above all, held down Houston’s two most notable offensive stars in quarterback Deshaun Watson, who threw for a lowly 160 yards, and wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, the recipient of only five catches for 41 yards. Oddly enough as well, it’d be an interception from Hopkins, not Watson, that resulted in the first chance the Panthers would cash in on.
The Texans, threatening to break a 3-3 tie at the Panthers’ 18-yard line with 2:41 left in the second quarter, opted to run a trick throw from the right arm of Hopkins. That ball would end up in the waiting arms of cornerback Ross Cockrell, who took full advantage of the ill-advised pass and his start in place of an injured Donte Jackson.
On the ensuing possession, the Panthers marched downfield on a five-play, 54-yard scoring drive. Running back Christian McCaffrey, who accounted for game-highs in both rushing (93) and receiving (86) yardage, finished off the quick one-minute, eight-second trek with a 3-yard touchdown.
Another big chance then came for Carolina, this time near the end of the second half, for a pair of another two players who took advantage of their circumstances. Defensive tackle Vernon Butler, finally receiving an active nod with Kawann Short out, sacked Watson at the 4:11 mark of the fourth quarter with the Panthers up 13-10 and forced a fumble.
The loose ball was recovered by safety Eric Reid, who was perhaps running on a bit of extra fuel with his younger brother Justin on the opposing sideline and his family in attendance. Reid, fittingly so, would eventually cap the game by batting down a Hail Mary attempt in the closing seconds.
Butler’s sack stood as one of six for Carolina on the afternoon. That output, which comes right off the heels of an eight-sack day against the Arizona Cardinals, brings the team total up to 18 through four games. They, additionally, now lead the NFL in net passing yards allowed per game (156.8).
As Newton continues to heal up what turned out to be a Lisfranc injury, Allen didn’t exactly make good in his old college stomping grounds of Houston following his eye-opening outing in his native Arizona last week. He can, though, thank his defense for saving him on the bumpy second stop of his personal homecoming tour and the Panthers from a dire 1-3 start.
