When Panthers guard Trai Turner walked onto the field at Raymond James Stadium to warm up last Sunday, something was wrong. Unless he had changed numbers overnight, or magically morphed into a different-looking guy, Turner had on the wrong shorts.The rookie, who wears No. 70, was in No. 65’s shorts. Those belong to tackle Garry Williams.“I didn’t travel the last two games, so my bag wasn’t right,” Turner sheepishly admitted this week.So was who was to blame for the faulty packing — Turner, Williams, equipment guys?”No comment,” Turner replied with a smile.When you’re just 21-years-old and about to make your NFL debut, it’s easy to mess up details that aren’t all that important. But once the game started, Turner made a solid first impression — in his proper jersey number.”It’s like you’re working your first dream job,” Turner said, when asked about his first regular-season game. “It was like, ‘Man, I’m in the NFL. I’m going against so-in-so; I watched him in high school! I’m going against this person; I used to want to play like him!'”Part of Turner’s NFL christening came against Gerald McCoy, the Bucs two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle. And while the vet slipped past the rookie on at least one play, Turner held his own for the most part.The third-round pick, who had been starting at right guard until he injured his groin in the preseason, came in for the third series and split snaps with Fernando Velasco. Pro Football Focus gave Turner a -0.8 grade for his 23 plays, which for what it’s worth, was better than Velasco (-2.3) and left guard Amini Silatolu (-1.8).But none of those numbers were more important than how many sacks the line gave up. The Bucs brought down quarterback Derek Anderson once, and that was mostly a product of miscommunication.Eight linemen played in Tampa, which helped keep the big guys relatively fresh in the thick humidity. But the Velasco/Turner timeshare may not have been just a one-game deal. While it’s best to have a solid starting five that plays nearly every snap, a rotation can work too.”It helps all of us sync together. It’s not just five guys being in sync, if you can have six, seven, eight guys that can play synced together, and god forbid something happens, the next man can step right in,” Turner said.After starting his NFL career against a two-time Pro Bowler, Turner’s challenge is even tougher this week. Detroit’s Ndamukong Suh has gone to three Pro Bowls, and fellow defensive tackle Nick Fairley can also be a force.”You’re always told it’s going to be a test every week,” Turner said. “No matter who you play, somebody good on a team. They’re in the NFL for a reason.”And so is Turner, who has plenty of time to find the right shorts. When he walks onto the field at Bank of America Stadium on Sunday, it could be the first of dozens of home games for No. 70.
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JasonBlackwood
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JasonBlackwood
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BlackBlueReview
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BlackBlueReview
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JasonBlackwood
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JasonBlackwood
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BlackBlueReview
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BlackBlueReview
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JasonBlackwood
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JasonBlackwood