Post game stat review: the offense runs wild while the defense struggles

The Panthers’ second game of the season couldn’t have been more different than their first. In the season opener Shaq Thompson Jersey , a stifling defense shouldered the load while the offense did just enough. This week the offense did all it could to keep the team above water while the defense floundered. On a day where the defense was the main culprit in the loss, here were the biggest bright spots:Kawann Short and Julius Peppers each make their second appearance on this list in as many games. Short finished the day with 6 tackles and two tackles for loss while Peppers notched a single tackle. The 38 year old vet was on the field for just 30% of the defense’s snaps (19 total), which needs to change. Corn Elder and Captain Munnerlyn shut down Falcons slot receiver Mohamad Sanu, as Matt Ryan’s usual number two target was contained to just 19 yards on two catches. Elder was on the field for 20 snaps, his first as a pro. Hopefully the coaching staff recognizes his strong play and gives him more opportunities. Notably absent from the list of top Panthers defenders are linebackers Luke Kuechly and Shaq Thompson. Falcons running back Tevin Coleman gashed the Panthers for 107 yards on 16 carries Authentic C.J. Anderson Jersey , and Thomspon and Kuechly’s inability to navigate the Falcons zone blocking scheme played a major part in that. Shaq compounded his issues in the run game by giving up a touchdown to Falcons tight end Austin Hooper that gave Atlanta the lead heading into the half. The 7.4 yards per play allowed to the Falcons was the 7th highest mark allowed by the Panthers in the Ron Rivera era, and the worst since the team’s 40-7 defeat at the hands of the Seahawks in the infamous tie-gate game in December 2016. While the defense was doing everything wrong, the offense tried to make a game of it. Cam Newton returns as the only player to rank in the top 5 each week, which comes as a surprise to no one. Newton tallied 335 yards and 3 touchdowns through the air with a good-quarterback-worthy 71.1% completion percentage and an interception that really belongs on C.J. Anderson’s stat sheet. His most reliable receiving targets also made the list. McCaffrey snared all 14 of his genuine targets (the other being a throwaway) and turned them into 102 yards against a Falcons defense that was stifling the Panthers outside threats at wide receiver. And he averaged 4.6 yards per tote on 8 carries to boot. Wright snagged 5 passes of his own, all of which picked up either a first down or a touchdown. Rookie D.J. Moore did the same thing Youth Greg Van Roten Jersey , albeit on a single catch during his 17 snaps. Apparently taking your first career target 51 yards for a touchdown can catch the eye of a coaching staff, as Ron Rivera has already come out and said he wants to see more Moore. Through two weeks, the Panthers sit 15th in total offense and 13th in total defense, the average of two polar opposite performances. Next week’s game against the Bengals will paint a clearer picture of the true identity of this team heading into the week 4 bye. The Panthers are 2-1 following an impressive 31-21 win over the Bengals last Sunday and are heading into an unfortunately early bye week with a lot to be happy about.NFL experts are starting to believe this team is pretty good, as evidenced by this week’s power rankings. Following their win over the Bengals http://www.panthersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-david-mayo-jersey , the Panthers find themselves in the top ten of most experts’ lists as they head into their week off.I have to say most because—as always—there has to be one hater in the group:ESPNSure, being No. 11 isn’t that bad, but come on man... can’t we have a clean sweep of the top ten for once? Here are the rankings from the better experts who place the Panthers firmly where they belong...NFL.comUSA TodaySporting NewsBleacher ReportSB NationWhat do you think, Panthers fans? Are the Panthers a top-ten team? Why or why not?Discuss.