Through his first seven NFL games, Carolina Panthers receiver Devin Funchess struggled with drops while catching just seven of his 21 targets. So when he was running down the middle of the field with Packers cornerback Damarious Randall stride-for-stride in Sunday's second quarter, it wouldn’t have been a surprise if the pass fell harmlessly incomplete.

But then it happened.

 

 

Funchess absorbed all sorts of contact and used his 6-foot-4 frame to fend off his fellow rookie to haul in a 52-yard reception, his longest catch since a 59-yarder in 2013 when he was a sophomore at Michigan.

“I was just waiting on my moment and it came today on the first long one and I made sure I hauled that one in and kept feeding,” Funchess said.

Five minutes into the fourth quarter, Funchess went somewhere he hasn't been since last October when his Wolverines beat Penn State – the end zone. His 14-touchdown reception gave the Panthers a 37-14 lead, one they nearly blew.  

"To see Devin Funchess come out and have a game like this, especially against a team like this, that was huge for Devin," coach Ron Rivera said.

After the score, quarterback Cam Newton tried to get the ball from Funchess. Per Newton's tradition, it would go to a young fan. Instead, Funchess held onto the ball that he had earmarked for his grandfather.

 

“It was another Sunday giveaway and he said ‘Naw bro, I’m keeping this one,” Newton said.

Funchess finished with a career-best three receptions for 71 yards, nearly matching his season total of 90. His uptick in production doesn't start a trend, but it's a big step forward for the second-round pick.

“He's a young guy playing with some older guys with some talent,” receiver Ted Ginn, Jr. said. “Not saying that he can't play with us, he can play us. You just have to have your learning curve and take it for what it's worth.

“I came into this league as a first rounder and number one guy and I didn't play until the seventh game of the season. As long as he comes in and does what he does, his confidence will be so big at the end of the year when we get into a playoff run, he'll be ready for it.”