All the Panthers do is win these days. Their first international game in franchise history was a success as they took down the division rival Buccaneers in London today.
Here are four takeaways from the 37-26 victory, their fourth straight.
The Panthers defense was (mostly) dominant
James Bradberry picked off Jameis Winston’s first pass attempt, which set the tone for the rest of the game. Winston was under constant duress from the Panthers pass rush, which tied a franchise record with six sacks in the first half alone. By the second half, Winston was on tilt and hurting his team more than helping them. Gerald McCoy did the most damage. The Panthers totaled seven sacks, 10 quarterback hits, five interceptions and two fumble recoveries.
There were a couple exceptions to the rule. They gave up too many points in garbage time and Bradberry had problems covering Mike Evans all day. He gave up several catches and was very lucky to not give up a huge touchdown in the second quarter after getting beat over the top. Otherwise, the defense played well and is the main reason Carolina won.
Kyle Allen had a respectable game
With Christian McCaffrey getting bottled up again by the league’s top run defense, the Panthers needed Allen to deliver this week and he did. This was far from a perfect performance from No. 7. However, Allen finally fixed his ball security issues and did not fumble once for the first time this season. He was also efficient moving the offense.
Allen completed 20 of 32 pass attempts for 227 yards, two touchdowns and a 104.6 passer rating. Contrary to popular opinion, Allen is not going to replace Cam Newton at QB1 anytime soon. He deserves credit for a relatively sharp showing today, though.
It’s time to find a new return specialist
Sometimes games turn on one play. The Panthers had a 10-0 lead in the second quarter and everything was going their way until Ray-Ray McCloud fumbled another punt return, which led to a quick Tampa Bay touchdown. It wasn’t his first or second big mistake this season, either. Chris Hogan was the next best option but he’s on injured reserve and can’t come back until late in the season. Carolina needs to give someone else a shot at this position, even if it means signing a free agent.
Next up: A well-earned rest
After starting out the year 0-2 and losing their starting quarterback to an injury, the Panthers are extremely fortunate to be in this position. Their four-game winning streak puts them at 4-2 going into the bye week. Considering Cam Newton, Kawann Short, Trai Turner and some other important players have missed a lot of time, that’s an extraordinary accomplishment. As long as the defense continues to perform at this level and the offense isn’t a complete disaster, they can compete with anyone. If they get Newton back at 100%, this team will be a legitimate playoff contender.
