The Panthers are undefeated (2-0) when Kyle Allen starts at quarterback. He saved their 2019 season from the brink of ruin with today’s victory on the road over an admittedly over-matched Cardinals team.
Here are four takeaways from a critical 38-20 Week 3 win.
Kyle Allen was everything Carolina could have hoped for
The Panthers needed Allen to be on his A-game today – and that’s what they got. Allen was poised, confident and spread the ball around. He was especially sharp targeting tight end Greg Olsen, who caught six of seven passes for 75 yards and two scores. Allen finished the game having completed 19 of his 26 passes for 261 yards and four touchdowns. If nothing else, this performance should give Carolina enough confidence to give starter Cam Newton all the time he needs to heal 100% from his foot sprain.
The kids are alright
It was also a banner day for the Panthers’ position players on offense. We got to see the best of wide receivers D.J. Moore and Curtis Samuel, who combined for six catches, 105 yards and two touchdowns. It was running back Christian McCaffrey who broke Arizona’s back, though. His 76-yard touchdown run in the third quarter put the Cards in a hole they had no hope of coming back from. These three represent the future of the Panthers’ offense and it still looks bright.
The defensive line came to play
Realistically, the Cardinals never really stood a chance in this one given the mismatch in the trenches. Carolina’s defensive line dominated Arizona when they had the ball. Mario Addison was the standout monster of the day, collecting three of eight sacks on rookie quarterback Kyler Murray. Christian Miller was also a major contributor, chipping in two.
The Panthers are rotating left tackles
Perhaps the most intriguing development in the trenches though was at the left tackle spot. Daryl Williams started the game as he had the first two weeks of the season. When second-round pick Greg Little came in to replace him, we thought we might not see Williams again this season. However, he came back out later on and the two rotated reps the rest of the game. It will be interesting to see how long this experiment lasts.
For now, the only thing that really matters is the Panthers avoided an 0-3 hole that would have effectively ended their season. Next up, they travel to Houston to take on Deshaun Watson and the Texans.
