On a night when the starting lineup consisted of players like signed-less-than-three-weeks-ago Brian Folkerts and undrafted free agent rookie Cole Luke, the Panthers preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers wasn’t exactly a preview of the regular season. But while Christian McCaffrey didn’t add any numbers to his linebacker body count and Cam Newton didn’t even attempt a throw during pregame warmups, the fourth preseason game has always belonged to the players battling for a roster spot, and the Panthers 17-14 loss to the Steelers Thursday night was no exception. So let’s look at what we thought the big battles were going to be heading into the game and how the players fared in them.
Zack Sanchez vs. Cole Luke
When you’re a cornerback, the last thing you want is having your name called. The reason you haven’t been hearing about James Bradberry this preseason is because quarterbacks have refused to look his direction due to the excellent coverage he’s been providing on his side of the field. Unfortunately, undrafted free agent Cole Luke had his name called when he was beaten down the sideline for a 58-yard touchdown by wide receiver Justin Hunter. Luke has always seemed better suited for an inside cornerback role, and he didn’t have a chance against the taller Hunter, who sped by him on the outside for an easy score. Sanchez, on the other hand, played well on the outside, albeit against the second and third team offenses of the Steelers. Perhaps his best moment came on a swing pass to running back Terrell Watson when the two met in the open field and Sanchez put his head down and turned the running back around for a two yard loss.
Luke combined with Ben Jacobs on a nice stop on fourth down in the red zone and had a forced fumble near the end of the game; but he may have won the job by default when Sanchez limped off the field midway through the fourth quarter and was carted to the locker room. Luke finished the night with eight tackles and the forced fumble. Between the injury to Sanchez and an earlier injury to Teddy Williams, the presumed second string cornerbacks are both banged up heading into cut day.
Fozzy Whittaker vs. Cameron Artis-Payne
With Fozzy Whittaker announced as the starting running back, it appeared that he may have been in the lead for the third running back spot; however, the waters continued to muddy with both running backs performing extremely well against the Steelers second string defense. While Whittaker finished with only 19 total yards, he found the endzone and had two nifty touches in which he weaved his way through tacklers for first downs; Artis-Payne tallied 51 yards on eight carries, including a 35-yard scamper that left multiple Steelers in his wake. He would have had even more had a 15 yard carry on the next play not been called back for holding. If the Panthers are only keeping three running backs, tonight’s competition didn’t make their decision any easier. Something out of Whittaker’s control may have hurt his case, with WR Curtis Samuel returning two kickoffs and almost breaking one for a long score. Whittaker was the primary return man during the 2016 season.
Kaelin Clay vs. Damiere Byrd
Kaelin Clay, who has been flirting with a roster spot all preseason, finally thrust himself into the limelight in tonight’s game; his diving catch of a long ball from Joe Webb was the highlight of the night and only a lucky touch kept him from scoring a touchdown on the play. Not only did Clay finish with three catches for 76 yards, he was utilized in both facets of the return game and had a nice punt return called back due to penalty. Clay’s long catch was initially called a touchdown on the field, and two plays after the call was reversed, Joe Webb found Damiere Byrd for the 11-yard score. Byrd, who was the presumed fifth wide receiver entering the game, finished with two catches for 21 yards and the score, but it was two mental mistakes that the coaches may remember more clearly after the game: the holding call that negated an Artis-Payne 15 yard run and the final play of the first half in which Byrd appeared to not realize the clock was expiring and didn’t look for a hail mary from Joe Webb, resulting in an easy interception for free safety Jacob Hagen. That miscue had Rivera tearing his headset off, and the competition for the fifth wide receiver spot continued to heat up.
Andy Lee vs. Michael Palardy
This was more of a battle by proxy, as Lee did not set foot onto the field for any of the Panthers’ four punting opportunities during the first three quarters, and Palardy averaged 45.5 yards per kick; two of his punts, however, rolled into the endzone for touchbacks. Lee sent his one opportunity in the tail end of the fourth quarter sailing 49 yards. With rumors swirling about Andy Lee perhaps being on the trading block, the Panthers may have been seeing what they had in Palardy.
Harrison Butker vs. Graham Gano
Graham Gano may have sealed his own fate with a missed 51-yard field goal in the third quarter, his second miss of the preseason. Head coach Ron Rivera said the two kickers were “even” heading into the game, and if that was not a smokescreen, Butker certainly performed better, making both extra points he attempted and sending his three kickoff opportunities through the back of the endzone. Gano left without speaking to the media after the game.
Other Notes:
- The Steeler won the game in thrilling fashion (as thrilling as a preseason game can get) when they went 53 yards on five plays in 47 seconds, culminating with a one-yard touchdown run by quarterback Josh Dobbs with only nine seconds on the clock.
- The question of whether the Panthers will be keeping a fullback on the roster continues to swirl, as Darrel Young got the start tonight along with three carries, but with many players not participating, is a start in this game a vote of confidence? Rookie fullback Alex Armah had a costly penalty on special teams which negated a Kaelin Clay 17-yard punt return.
- Ben Jacobs had six tackles as he fights to maintain a roster spot. Fellow backup linebacker Jared Norris did not play due to injury. Jacobs said after the game that “when you’re blessed with the opportunity to play this game, you’ve got to take full advantage of it.”
- Wide receiver Curtis Samuel electrified the crowd with a kickoff return that was inches from being a long touchdown as he was barely tripped up at the 32 yard line. Samuel was not only utilized on special teams, but as a receiver as well, catching two short passes. He left the game after injuring the same ankle he had tweaked last week against Jacksonville, but was pacing up and down the sidelines before exiting to the locker room.
- The captains for tonight’s game were Fozzy Whittaker, Teddy Williams, and Russell Shepard, all Panthers with connection to Houston, stricken with flooding in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. “Seeing the way that they’ve supported me and backed me, it just shows you that this is a true family,” Whittaker said after the game. Whittaker wore custom cleats which read #HoustonStrong on them.
