As painful as this may be—let’s give it a go, shall we?
Here are the best and worst Pro Football Focus grades for the Carolina Panthers from their horrendous season-opening loss to the New Orleans Saints:
Best of the offense
1. LG Damien Lewis: 80.0
1. TE Feleipe Franks: 80.0
3. RG Robert Hunt: 79.5
4. C Austin Corbett: 71.7
5. RB Mike Boone: 69.0
Well, at least those investments on the interior offensive line paid off right away.
Only one pressure was attributed to the trio of Lewis, Hunt and Corbett. Each earned a pass-blocking grade of at least 84.6.
Worst of the offense
15. QB Andy Dalton: 53.3
16. TE Jordan Matthews: 47.5
17. TE Ja’Tavion Sanders: 47.4
18. WR Jonathan Mingo: 45.2
19. QB Bryce Young: 32.6
Young brings up the rear after one of the stinkiest showings of his NFL career. He completed 13 of his 30 passes for 161 yards and two errant interceptions.
Best of the defense
1. DE A’Shawn Robinson: 73.0
2. SS Xavier Woods: 71.5
3. DT Jayden Peevy: 70.8
4. OLB Jadeveon Clowney: 69.5
5. CB Mike Jackson: 65.1
Robinson, another free-agent signing from this spring, also played well in his Panthers debut. He, as did Woods, recorded a pair of stops.
Worst of offense
13. MLB Josey Jewell: 48.7
14. DE Derrick Brown: 47.7
15. DT Nick Thurman: 46.2
16. NT Shy Tuttle: 29.5
17. FS Jordan Fuller: 28.0
Fuller, in his first outing for Carolina, was charged with five receptions for 116 yards on five targets.
