A look at Carolina Panthers-related news and nuggets from around the web.
Jenny Vrentas of the MMQB profiles Cam Newton in a must-read piece:
Suddenly, Newton put his hand up, giving the coaches a stop sign—his way of saying, I got this. Rivera heard Shula over the coaches’ headset: What is he doing … OK, good … Is he gonna … Yep, he did. … OK, he got it! Newton got the players into the formation Shula wanted, picked the play Shula would have picked, and then threw for a first down.
Read it at MMQB.SI.com
Jonathan Jones of the Charlotte Observer on how a former Panthers receiver helped a current one:
Brown had been exchanging text messages with Steve Smith since meeting the receiver in June at Cam Newton’s charity kickball event. And before the final exhibition of a preseason that had seen Brown drop five passes, Smith had a few words for the second-year receiver.
“Just trust your hands,” Brown recalled Smith telling him. “You’ve got good hands. Just do what you’ve been doing.”
Read it at CharlotteObserver.com
David Newton of ESPN.com looks at how the Panthers have won without Kelvin Benjamin:
A different receiver steps up almost every week. Ted Ginn Jr. leads the way with 20 catches for 343 yards and three touchdowns. He would have had four had he not dropped a wide open 56-yarder in overtime against Indianapolis on Monday night. Philly Brown -- or Corey Brown if you prefer -- is next with 14 catches for 175 yards and two touchdowns.Jerricho Cotchery has only 10 catches, but one was for a touchdown.
Read it at ESPN.com
Mark Maske of the Washington Post wonders if the Panthers can continue their winning ways:
The Panthers are formidable, as they will take a record of 7-0 into Sunday’s home game against the Green Bay Packers. The Panthers already have a victory at Seattle this season. Another triumph over a team regarded as an NFC heavyweight could further cement their status among the conference’s top contenders.
Read it at WashingtonPost.com
Matt Chatham of FoxSports.com examines what makes the Panthers' offense click:
Skillful scrambling quarterbacks are one thing in the NFL -- there are several of those. But quarterbacks who audible and call their own numbers as direct-snap ball-carriers are an entirely different animal because it significantly changes the blockers a defensive front has to account for to have proper fits and not get gashed.
Read it at FoxSports.com
Don Banks of SI.com gives his mid-season awards, including several for the Panthers:
• Mike Shula, Carolina: The Panthers don’t have the gaudy statistics of a New England, Arizona or Cincinnati. But they also don’t have a true No. 1 receiver either, and that hasn’t stopped Carolina from winning every game it has played. Shula has done a masterful job of creative play-calling and staying true to the offensive blueprint in Charlotte, which is built around Cam Newton’s dual-threat talents and a diverse, Jonathan Stewart-led running game. The Panthers know who they are on offense this season, and it’s working.
Read it at SI.com