The Carolina Panthers’ Week Five game against the Miami Dolphins started, as many of their games have this season, in a hole and down big in the first half.
At the beginning of the second quarter, the Panthers were down 17-0. Quarterback Bryce Young had been stripped, sacked, and fumbled the football. He was intercepted by Minkah Fitzpatrick, which gave the Dolphins a 17-point lead.
The game felt like déjà vu to Panthers fans, but then the team started slowly chipping away at the deficit in the second quarter. Instead of waiting until the second half to make adjustments, the Panthers were going to fight back right there and then.
Bryce Young’s Teammates Believe
Panthers quarterback Bryce Young has been the subject of criticism all season, with some fans losing patience with the level Young was playing at in year three. On Sunday against the Dolphins, Young got off to another rough start with two turnovers, but he exhibited his mental toughness by not letting them get to him.
Young threw two touchdown passes afterwards and helped lead the Panthers to a comeback victory. Young’s fight inspired his teammates and was a reminder of why they have faith in him.
Darrin Gantt of Panthers.com wrote about how teammates like Derrick Brown believe in Young over what anyone on the outside says.
“Everybody wants him to just fail at this in those situations,” Brown said in a victorious locker room, after the Panthers‘ 27-24 double-comeback win over the Dolphins, to improve to 2-3. “But I mean, the dude comes off, straight to me on the sidelines, and says, ‘Go get it back for me and we’ll go.’”
In his post-game press conference, Young reiterated his approach to focus on the next play.
“We’re just always going to keep fighting, always going to believe, always going to focus on the next play,” Young said. “And obviously didn’t start the way we want to, stuff for me to clean up, but there was no hesitation, nothing. We knew that whatever it is, flush it, go to the next play. The belief was always there, and I’m so proud to be a part of a team like that.”
Just as Young never quit, neither did the Panthers’ defense.
Defense Steps Up in the Clutch
The defense for the Panthers on Sunday found themselves in a familiar position, having to clean up the mess the offense created with their turnovers.
Down 17-0 early in the second quarter, the Panthers’ defense only allowed one score the rest of the game. Despite allowing a 46-yard touchdown pass to Jaylen Waddle, the Panthers’ defense ultimately sealed the game with a Patrick Jones II sack of Tua Tagovailoa that forced the Dolphins to punt and never get the ball back again ultimately.
The Panthers’ run defense was also stout, allowing the second fewest rushing yards in franchise history and not allowing a single run over 6 yards.
Panthers.com transcribed the thoughts of head coach Dave Canales on the run defense after the game.
“It was really just guys hustling to the ball, coming out of the stack on the defensive line, Trevin and Boom running like crazy, and the guys playing their leverage to slow those perimeter runs down,” Canales said. “They did get a couple of nice ones on us, but for the most part, it was just a really well executed plan, from a run game standpoint.”
The Panthers, now 2-3, will look to sustain this momentum heading into next week’s game against the Dallas Cowboys at home.
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