CAROLINA PANTHERS DEFENSE
| Player | Position | Defense | % | Special Teams | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kurt Coleman | FS | 58 | 100% | 3 | 11% |
| Josh Norman | CB | 58 | 100% | 3 | 11% |
| Bené Benwikere | CB | 58 | 100% | 3 | 11% |
| Thomas Davis | LB | 51 | 88% | 3 | 11% |
| Luke Kuechly | LB | 51 | 88% | 2 | 7% |
| Roman Harper | S | 49 | 84% | 3 | 11% |
| Kawann Short | DT | 46 | 79% | 2 | 7% |
| Colin Jones | S | 44 | 76% | 10 | 37% |
| Jared Allen | DE | 33 | 57% | ||
| Kony Ealy | DE | 33 | 57% | 3 | 11% |
| Mario Addison | DE | 28 | 48% | ||
| Dwan Edwards | DT | 27 | 47% | 11 | 41% |
| Charles Johnson | DE | 24 | 41% | 3 | |
| Star Lotulelei | DT | 23 | 40% | 2 | 7% |
| Kyle Love | DT | 18 | 31% | 3 | 11% |
| Shaq Thompson | LB | 15 | 26% | 8 | 30% |
| A.J. Klein | LB | 13 | 22% | 18 | 67% |
| Tre Boston | SS | 9 | 16% | 11 | 41% |
| Ben Jacobs | LB | 24 | 89% | ||
| Teddy Williams | CB | 17 | 63% | ||
| Graham Gano | K | 16 | 59% | ||
| David Mayo | LB | 16 | 59% | ||
| Brad Nortman | P | 11 | 41% | ||
| J.J. Jansen | LS | 11 | 41% | ||
| Dean Marlowe | SS | 10 | 37% |
NOTES:
—Kony Ealy didn’t start, but he saw as many snaps as Jared Allen and was in for nine more plays than Charles Johnson.
—Shaq Thompson’s reps continue to be limited in a defense that features so much nickel.
I’m not surprised that teams prefer to play 10 or 11 personnel against the Panthers right now, and I’m sure the coaching staff isn’t, either. Most teams are probably happier taking their chances with a slot WR vs Colin Jones than playing 12 or 21 P against either Klein or Shaq as the 3rd LB. The decision is maybe a bit tougher if Peanut is healthy and Bene can slide inside, but the Titans tried more heavy sets and it didn’t work that well for them. I think the team knew that Shaq’s impact would rise as AJ Klein gets starter money as a FA and TD gets older. Luckily, the Panthers were apparently able to afford a long term investment in the 1st round this year.