The Carolina Panthers reignited some hope towards a run at this year’s NFC South crown, holding away the visiting Atlanta Falcons on Thursday night. So, what interesting takeaways do this week’s snap counts hold?
Let’s take a look.
Terrace Marshall Jr. continues his leap
Now that Marshall Jr. has been allowed to spread his wings, he has become one of the more consistent, well-rounded and trusted receivers on the roster. And his 59 offensive snaps, which were just as many as DJ Moore got, showed that.
With the Panthers shying away from the pass, only throwing the ball 16 times, Marshall Jr. got himself involved as a downfield blocker and helped establish the dominant ground game. He also made the most out of his lone reception, one he took on a 43-yard gain.
Shake-and-bake Laviska
Laviska Shenault Jr. is becoming a more regular part of the offensive game plan. And as a result, the Panthers are seeing more big plays.
This week, he logged 26 snaps—his most of the season. He turned some of those opportunities into a 41-yard rushing touchdown and a trio of receptions for a total of 17 yards.
Look for offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo to try and tap into Shenault Jr.’s big-play ability as he continues to settle in.
Less Yetur
Carolina’s defensive line was battered by the Cincinnati Bengals last week, with running back Joe Mixon leading the charge of a 241-rushing performance. One of the biggest victims of that shellacking was defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos, who was ran at repeatedly for big gains.
Gross-Matos saw a significant reduction in his snap count against the run-heavy Falcons, dropping his share from 76 percent (56 snaps) to 67 percent (42 snaps). This may be a trend moving forward if Gross-Matos is not able to improve his sealing off of the edges.
