The Carolina Panthers smacked the Arizona Cardinals in the mouth to get their second win of 2016, looking revived off of their bye.
Coming out of their bye week, the question surrounding the Carolina Panthers was if they’d be able to turn things around. After an abysmal 1-5 start, the defending NFC Champions had to have something else in the tank and the ability to turn it around, right? They answered with an emphatic yes in NFL Week 8 against the Arizona Cardinals.
From the first drive of the game, it looked like a new Panthers defense. They were getting after Arizona quarterback Carson Palmer early and often, resulting in a Palmer fumble that was returned for a touchdown by Thomas Davis. That turnover and subsequent score gave Carolina momentum from the start. Given what they’ve been through this season, they weren’t about to relinquish it.
Cam Newton and Jonathan Stewart led a solid offensive attack on the day. However, it was the defense that truly shined. Carolina’s front seven wreaked havoc on the Cardinals all day long. Continually, they disrupted Palmer’s drops and brought him to the turf. Palmer was sacked eight times in total on the day and somehow it still felt like more.
With Stewart getting the job done around the goal line and Newton playing mistake-free, this game was always in the hands of the Panthers in Charlotte. Much like they did in the 2015 NFC Championship game, Carolina had every answer for Arizona and dominated them. Now at 2-5, they’ll hope to build from this emphatic victory.
Three Stars
Star Lotulelei, Panthers – Carolina defensive tackle Star Lotulelei led the charge for the front seven. He finished Week 8 with six total tackles, three sacks, three tackles for loss, and two more quarterback hits. Palmer will see him in his nightmares.
Jonathan Stewart, Panthers – Though his yards per carry average wasn’t ideal at 3.8, Stewart still finished with 95 yards and two touchdowns on the ground and a 25-yard reception to his credit.
J.J. Nelson, Cardinals – Nelson was big in the passing game for the Cards as they tried to keep their heads above water. He finished with eight catches on 12 targets for 79 yards and two touchdown grabs.
Highlights
TD for TD!@ThomasDavisSDTM scoops and SCORES. #AZvsCAR https://t.co/HDgYU0p5KB
— NFL (@NFL) October 30, 2016
https://twitter.com/NFL/status/792782661303480320
https://twitter.com/NFL/status/792786884069957632
https://twitter.com/NFL/status/792812046156836864
Next Game
Carolina hopes to keep things rolling as they face another NFC West opponent in Week 9, the Los Angeles Rams on the road. Arizona goes on their bye searching for answers before taking on the San Francisco 49ers at home in Week 10.