The Carolina Panthers defense was embarrassed by the Chicago Bears in Week 1 in allowing 552 yards and a franchise-record 59 points.
asserted
defense → embarrass → yards
Linebacker Devin Lloyd made sure that wasn’t going to happen again Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons.
asserted
that → make → Falcons
Carolina completely shut down Atlanta and third-string quarterback Cooper Rush on the road, forced five turnovers and limited the Falcons to 286 yards in a 34-3 victory that left the defending NFC South champion Panthers (1-1) tied for first place in the division.
asserted
that → shut → division
The Falcons never reached inside the Carolina 20.
asserted
Falcons → reach → Carolina
Panthers coach Dave Canales gave kudos to defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero for getting players “locked back in” following a rough outing as the team works through a transition period.
asserted
team → give → period
The Panthers have six new starters from last season on defense because of personnel changes and injuries.
asserted
Panthers → have → changes
Canales said it has taken some time to get everyone on the same page.
asserted
it → say → page
He began to see some cohesiveness on Sunday.
asserted
He → begin → Sunday
“It was like everyone was connected and kind of working on a string,” Canales said.
asserted
Canales → connect → string
“I saw a lot of that chemistry that I talked about.
asserted
I → see → that
How are we going to be our best?
asserted
we → go → ?
When we start playing together.”
asserted
we → start → ?
Canales said his defense “challenged” and ”attacked” the Falcons skill players on offense.
asserted
defense → say → offense
“The secondary showed up in the run game with more physicality,” Canales said.
asserted
Canales → show → physicality
“Their skill players, we got up in their faces and attacked the ball.”
asserted
we → get → ball
Lloyd was the key that kept it all together.
asserted
that → keep → it
The offseason free agent pickup from Jacksonville had nine tackles (including two for a loss), three pass breakups, a sack and two interceptions, including one that he returned for a touchdown.
asserted
he → have → touchdown
Canales called it “one of the most dominant linebacker performances” he has seen in his 17 years of coaching.
asserted
he → call → coaching
Lloyd said the goal this week was playing more physical up front and stopping Bijan Robinson.
asserted
goal → say → Robinson
The Panthers did just that.
asserted
Panthers → do → that
Robinson was limited to 72 yards on 16 carries and 9 yards receiving on three catches.
asserted
Robinson → limit → catches
Carolina forced Rush to fumble on the game’s first drive and came up with three interceptions overall.
asserted
Carolina → force → interceptions
“We know what we have on this team,” Lloyd said.
asserted
Lloyd → know → team
“The biggest thing was us responding and really just putting it on film, making it come to life.”
asserted
it → respond → life
What’s working
asserted
What → work → ?
Entering Monday, he is tied for the lead with six touchdown passes.
asserted
he → enter → passes
The Panthers are second in the league in points scored (71) behind only the Buffalo Bills and fourth in yards per game entering Monday.
asserted
Panthers → score → Monday
Now in his third season running the same offense, Young completed 23 of 36 passes for 287 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions on Sunday with some pinpoint throws to his receivers.
asserted
Young → run → receivers
Young’s issues with getting in and out of the huddle fast enough — something that plagued him for portions of his first three seasons — seem to be a thing of the past.
asserted
that → get → past
What needs help
The Panthers needed someone to step up as a punt returner after waiving Jimmy Horn last week following a fumbled punt in Week 1 that led to a Bears touchdown.
asserted
that → need → touchdown
Canales was expected to use John Metchie in that role on Sunday, but instead turned to Jalen Coker.
asserted
Canales → expect → Coker
The third-year pro had two punt returns for 49 yards, including a 36-yarder that set the Panthers up in Atlanta territory.
asserted
that → have → territory
The Panthers brought in veteran Darren Waller late in training camp to give Young a proven pass-catching tight end — and it hasn’t taken him long to pay dividends.
asserted
it → bring → dividends
After having a touchdown called back in Week 1 for offensive pass interference, the 6-foot-6 Waller responded with two touchdown catches against the Falcons.
asserted
Waller → have → Falcons
Waller, who is mostly being used in the red zone, has caught five passes for 61 yards in two games.
asserted
who → use → games
The Panthers offensive line looked solid on Sunday opening holes for Chuba Hubbard and protecting Young.
asserted
line → look → Young
Carolina’s O-line — and by extension, its tight ends — were flagged for nine penalties totaling 83 yards.
asserted
line → flag → yards
That included three holding calls, three false starts, two illegal shifts and one illegal hands to the race.
asserted
That → include → race
Those penalties wiped out two big runs by Hubbard.
asserted
penalties → wipe → Hubbard
Three of the penalties came against guard Robert Hunt, the team’s highest-paid offensive lineman who received a $100 million contract last offseason, in the first six minutes of the game.
asserted
who → come → game
…and 6 more, not listed.
The Aporia
