The Panthers relative luck on not losing a big time player on offense in the preseason ran out this week. As you all most likely know by now, Kelvin Benjamin is out for the year. Arguably, the Panthers second biggest recieving threat will be on the shelf for the entire year, throwing the passing offense into a bit of doubt. Benjamin represented a huge portion of the Panthers offense last year, and now the team will need to find a way to replace some of the production going away with Benjamin. That makes this week's game against the Miami Dolphins all the more important.
Last week's win over the Buffalo Bills wasn't pretty. The first team offense looked sluggish, despite the offensive line holding their own for the most part in pass protection. QB Cam Newton was eventually able to get the team moving down the field and was able to deliver on a TD pass to the aforementioned Benjamin. The rushing attack however was putrid. Before the loss of Benjamin, perhaps the biggest concern on offense was how to create running lanes through the defense. Now, there is a lot more on the line.
Let's look at what that might be.
Panthers Passing Offense
The passing game looked, well, ok last week. While each QB had a TD pass and no turnovers, nobody really had a fantastic night. While both Newton and backup QB Derek Anderson had some really nice passes, they also had some bad misses as well (granted some were bad drops by the receivers). This week won't get any easier, however it will be a good test of who might be able to step up in the wake of Benjamin's season ending injury. The one guy many hope can be KB 2.0, rookie Devin Funchess will not play though due to a minor hamstring injury. It will be expected of him to potentially carry the load at WR, and it is terribly unfortunate he won't be able to get valuable game time reps in with the first team this weekend. It does leave the door open for others to step up. WR's Jerricho Cotchery, Ted Ginn Jr., Corey Brown, Brenton Bersin, Jarrett Boykin, and Damiere Byrd will all have ample opportunities now to showcase what they can do.
Pass protection was at least a major plus coming out of the Bills game. Against a stout defensive front, the offensive line did a good job of keeping the pocket relatively clean for all three QB's, namely for Newton. It was good to see Michael Oher hold his own, giving us some kind of hope to cling to that perhaps we have found a decent stopgap at LT. Save for a few breakdowns here and there, the OL looked good. Another go at a stout defense in the Dolphins won't hurt to test how good this OL can be.
Player to Watch: T Michael Oher
He played well last week. I want to see that continue. In lieu of Benjamin's injury, it will be incumbent upon the OL to give Newton even more time in the pocket. Oher will be the linchpin, and much of the success of the passing game will hinge on his ability to hold his blocks. Dolphins DE's Cameron Wake and Oliver Vernon will be good competition for him to be evaluated against.
Panthers Rushing Offense
It was ugly. I know starting RB Jonathan Stewart wasn't playing, but it is hard to imagine him doing much better than the backups behind him were able to do. The OL couldn't open a hole big enough for a microbe to run through. By the end of the first half, the Panthers had a whopping three yards on the ground. Doesn't matter that it is preseason, that simply isn't acceptable. Last week I mentioned that early reports in training camp were that the running game was behind schedule, and that appeared to be the case. We need to see more out of this facet of the Panthers offense. We all know what Stewart is capable of, but we got little insight into what those behind him can do.
While Fozzy Whittaker still retains the #2 spot behind Stewart, a good game out of Jordan Todman or Cameron Artis-Payne can put that in jeopardy. Todman made the most of his touches, taking three carries for 23 yards. He could be a dark horse to knock Whittaker off.
Player to Watch: RB Brandon Wegher
Sporting News named him a "diamond in the rough" all the way back in May, and he certainly showed he could be one after his heroics against the Bills. In addition to the 15 yards gained on four carries, Wegher scored the game tying TD on a 42 yard catch and run that showed his versatility on offense. In the NFL, versatility in a backup usually equals a roster spot. It will be interesting to see if Wegher gets more opportunities on offense after his work last week. If he does, he will have the chance to make things really interesting for the RB corps.
Last Word
With Benjamin gone, the offense will need to find answers elsewhere. We all know how much TE Greg Olsen can do, but we will have to depend on guys either down on the depth chart or rookies who haven't played a meaningful snap yet in the NFL to carry part of the load. These next three games will be more vital than ever now for the players and the coaching staff. Everyone needs to step up in a big way.