Questions remain about the Carolina Panthers’ pass rush, but it was promising to see the defense deliver two sacks against the Titans.
Defensive coordinator Sean McDermott doesn’t call many blitzes, but when he does, they have a relatively high success rate. Both of the Panthers’ sacks on Saturday came via the blitz.
On the first, LBs Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis rush in a double A gap blitz, a staple of Carolina’s defense. With pressure coming up the middle, QB Marcus Mariota is forced outside where he’s brought down by DE Kony Ealy:
The end zone angle gives a good look at what Davis did on the play. When RB Demarco Murray fails to get a clean block on Davis, Mariota bolts:
Because Davis and Kuechly are excellent coverage LBs, there’s a risk in sending them on a blitz. But with Davis coming off a career-best 5.5 sack season and Kuechly determined to improve his pass rush, it’s a risk McDermott may take more often this year.
The second sack was credited to CB Bené Benwikere, but Ealy deserved an assist. When he slants across the LG through the A gap, QB Matt Cassel is forced to step up. Benwikere, who passed off his man to the outside CB, fights through traffic to finish the play:
Neither of those sacks came on exotic blitzes, but they were the work of more than one player. Like a good passing game, a good pass rush features many moving parts.