Carolina Panthers: Offense showed full potential vs. Miami Dolphins
The Carolina Panthers put up their best game offensively as they throttled the Miami Dolphins.
The Carolina Panthers put up their best performance on Monday against the Miami Dolphins, defeating the AFC team by the score of 45-21. In many ways, this team looked like the unit that put together a 15-1 season two short years ago. Much of that was contingent upon the way Cam Newton performed. This was his best game since that MVP season in 2015. But it wasn’t just Cam that over-performed in this game — the entire Panthers unit showed up and showed out.
Newton’s stat line included 21 completions on 35 attempts for 254 yards, four touchdowns and — the biggest improvement — zero interceptions. Newton has not played this well at any point in the 10 games this season. To go along with the 254 yards he pushed through the air, he had 95 yards on the ground, his highest production running to this point in the season.
He made the right passes without making the mistakes that plagued him through much of this season and much of his career. This game is a step in the right direction to change the narrative around Newton and this offense as a whole.
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Another player that had a standout performance was Jonathan Stewart. After signing a one-year extension and the Panthers picking up Christian McCaffrey, many expect this to be Stewart’s last season in Charlotte. Stewart gained 110 yards on the ground for his highest outing of the season.
At age 30, nearly a decade in the league and many battles with injuries, many wondered just how much Stewart has in the gas tank. He’s contributed well as a part of the Panthers running core as they stick to the running back by committee method, but this was a breakout game that he needed and looks to continue to build on.
The Panthers running game as a whole clicked against the Dolphins, gaining 294 yards on the ground and scoring twice. When adding to the equation that Newton was not sacked in this game, the offensive line played well for the second outing in a row. Even without Ryan Kalil, this unit was able to control the line of scrimmage.
One of the main storylines to watch is who will step up to be the main receiver now that Kelvin Benjamin has been shipped to the Buffalo Bills. Devin Funchess led all receivers with 92 yards and two touchdowns on five catches. Beyond Funchess’s production, the ball was spread around very evenly to six other receivers.
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Offensively, this is the type of game that Panthers fans and football experts have waited for all season. This is another season in which Carolina has a wealth of talent on paper, but they have yet to live up to the expectations that come with it. Against the Dolphins, Newton and company executed at a high level, putting together one of the best offensive performances seen across the NFL this season. With six games remaining the unit is gaining momentum at the right time of the year.