Who shined and who struggled in the final game of the season?
Here are the studs and duds from the Carolina Panthers’ 9-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers:
Stud: RB Chuba Hubbard
It wasn’t his most efficient outing, but Hubbard—once again—was the Panthers offense. He finished with a game-high 83 yards on 23 carries.
Duds: Panthers pass protectors
While they were strong on the ground, opening up space for a team average of 4.5 yards per carry, the offensive line lacked in pass protection. Quarterback Bryce Young was sacked three times, which moved him into a tie for a single-season franchise record (62).
Dud: WR DJ Chark
Speaking of letting Young down, Chark’s fumble into the end zone wiped out what would have been an incredible 43-yard touchdown pass.
Dud: WR Terrace Marshall Jr.
And speaking of wiping out touchdowns, Marshall Jr.’s illegal formation penalty negated a 28-yard score from running back Raheem Blackshear.
Sunday was the first time Marshall Jr. was active since Week 10.
Stud: DT Derrick Brown
Brown was the biggest stud of the season for Carolina. He ended his career year with a team-high seven tackles and a new single-season NFL record.
Stud: LB Frankie Luvu
Luvu looked like he was playing against middle schoolers, as he constantly created havoc in the pocket. He finished with six tackles.
Cornerback Jaycee Horn should also get some love for his three pass breakups.
