Somehow, we’ve found a way to shed a positive light on yet another Carolina Panthers loss.
Here are three (encouraging) takeaways from the snap counts in Week 14’s defeat to the New Orleans Saints:
Mays I have this dance?
Starting left guard Justin McCray went down after just one snap. But luckily for the Panthers, their next man up stepped up in a huge way.
Second-year hog molly Cade Mays came on for the next 79 snaps and registered the offensive line’s highest Pro Football Focus grade of the entire season (89.9). The 2022 sixth-round pick was solid in pass protection, but was especially exceptional for the rushing game—as he earned a 90.9 run-blocking grade.
Carolina’s offense has struggled throughout the year for a handful of reasons—and the vast turnover on the interior of their trench is a pretty big one. But if he’s there to stay at left guard, perhaps Mays can give the unit some stability to close out 2023.
Quality Mileage
Mays helped push the Panthers to a season-high 204 rushing yards—and a nice chunk of that output came from running back Miles Sanders.
While Sanders has firmly become the change-of-pace complement to Chuba Hubbard, who recorded 23 attempts, he made the most of his chances. The fifth-year vet was given 10 carries over his 17 offensive snaps, which he turned into 74 yards.
Although Carolina’s passing game clearly isn’t working, it feels as though Hubbard and Sanders have finally given the offense some sort of firepower to work with.
He's back back
Last Monday, interim head coach Chris Tabor told reporters that cornerback Jaycee Horn would see an increase in snaps as he eased in from his hamstring injury. Well, he certainly wasn’t lying.
After hitting a pitch count of 32 snaps in his return last week, Horn played in every one of the defense’s 52 looks. He was also his usual self, as the 2021 eighth overall pick recorded a 74.9 coverage grade from PFF.
