[vc_row no_margin=”true”][vc_column width=”1/1″]
Brown Drops the Ball … Again
Carolina Panthers WR Corey Brown said this week his two drops against the Dolphins weren’t on his mind, but there’s no question something was in his head by the end of the first half. The second-year wideout appeared to have the football equivalent of the yips. It was tough to tell if his first target was a drop, but there was no question about two others.
With 4:20 left in the second quarter, QB Cam Newton lofted a perfect ball to Brown, who had a step on his defender inside the 5-yard line. Instead of a touchdown, Brown’s awkward attempt at reeling it in ended with the ball on the ground.
When coach Ron Rivera called a timeout, Brown went to the sideline and took a knee. Rivera walked over, gave him a few words of encouragement, and the young wideout went back in.
Four plays later, Newton gave him another chance, but the pass was batted away in the end zone. One play later, on 3rd-and-4, Brown dropped another ball at the first-down marker.
This time, he was met on the sideline by Newton, who put his arm around his teammate and friend.
For the preseason, Newton is 0-for-9 on targets to Brown.
First-Team Offense
The Panthers pledged to get off to a better start after two sputtering first-quarter preseason performances, but they gained just nine yards in their first two drives. Things got better on their third possession, but that one ended with a field goal after Carolina had driven to the New England two-yard line.
Newton sure didn’t have a lot of help. There were the Brown drops, plus others by Greg Olsen and Jerricho Cotchery.
In the first half, Newton was 9-of-12 when targeting Olsen and Cotchery. He was 3-of-11 on attempts to everyone else.
Also, C Brian Folkerts, who was filling in for the injured Ryan Kalil, struggled in the second quarter after he appeared to tweak an ankle.
After going into the half with just six points on seven possessions, the first-team offense put down its best drive to start the third. Newton drove the Panthers 80 yards in nine plays, connecting on all five of his passes, including a 2-yard touchdown to FB Mike Tolbert.
With most first teamers likely to sit out Thursday in Pittsburgh, they’ll go into the regular year after scoring 20 points on 15 drives during the preseason.
(Mostly) Dominant Defense
Even though it looks like he won’t play until October, the Patriots wanted to get QB Tom Brady some work. He played the entire opening half after seeing just 16 snaps in New England’s first two games.
During the Patriots’ first six drives, the Panthers defense forced five three-and-outs. Missing his top two wideouts and TE Rob Gronkowski, Brady completed just two of his first seven passes for 13 yards. He was also intercepted by CB Charles Tillman and S Kurt Coleman.
But just like the Panthers first-team offense, Brady exited the preseason with an impressive drive. Just before the half, he went 5-of-6 for 70 yards, connecting with TE Scott Chandler for an 18-yard touchdown despite tight coverage by LB Thomas Davis.
Despite the first-half finish, the Panthers’ starters did a much better job against Brady than when he picked them apart last August.
Injury List Grows
After CB Charles Tillman was seen throwing up on the sideline, he went back in. But at the half, the Panthers announced he had suffered a head injury.
Cotchery was also dinged up. He tweaked a groin on a night when he caught all four of his targets for 38 yards.
Undefeated No More
Now at 2-1, the Panthers will thankfully wrap up the preseason Thursday night in Pittsburgh.[line][vc_raw_html]
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
[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row]