With Torrey Smith unable to practice this week, the Panthers had a feeling they would need a wide receiver to step up.
And they had one in mind.
After showing flashes in his first six games – the first reception of his career was a 51-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons – there was a chance that Moore might regress after having two fumbles two weeks ago in Washington; but after being selected to get the first start of his career, Moore made the most of his opportunity.
“All week I just prepared like I was going to be a starter. It was just something that I set in my mind,” Moore said. “I just attacked the game plan the best I could and just knew what I had to do.”
With fans clamoring for Moore to get more opportunities, he got his chance with Smith out – Moore had the most targets of any Panther with six and received two carries as he picked up 129 total yards – 39 on the ground and 90 through the air; Cam Newton said after the game that the team has to find ways to get the ball in the hands of the exceptional talent and Norv Turner schemed interesting ways to get the first-round pick the ball in his hands in space where he could do what he does best – make people miss.
Moore’s two fumbles in Washington may have been the result of rookie mistakes as Moore fought for extra yards instead of going down, and while Rivera said after Sunday’s game that he held his breath a few times as Moore struggled for extra real estate against the Ravens, he can already see the 21-year old learning from his mistakes.
“I think that part was one of those things that he learned instantly,” said Rivera. “Because again, if you go back and watch the rest of the game where you see him getting the ball, he protects it. He knows when he needs to curl up with it. But then I see him bring it in, cradle it so he has gotten the message and has done a heck of a job.”
With so many weapons on the field – Newton targeted eight different pass catchers and three rushers (plus Newton himself) carried the ball – it makes it next to impossible to scheme for everyone. When a player like Moore can line up out wide, in the slot or even in the backfield, it adds even more wrinkles to an offense that is already tough to prepare for.
“DJ’s a great player, he’s a dynamic player,” said fellow weapon Curtis Samuel, who had three catches for 28 yards himself. “Whether that happened or not, we were going to see a spark every week because he’s getting more comfortable. He’s a great player. It’s scary – that’s all I can say. It’s scary. We’ve got guys that can run the ball and catch the ball – we all have experience doing that.”
“How can you scheme that up?”
If the Panthers’ success against the Ravens’ top-ranked defense in the NFL is any indication, you can’t.
