Chicago Bears vs. Carolina Panthers: Complete Report-Card Grades for Carolina
The Carolina Panthers (3-2) started out slow (save for an awesome and lucky break on special teams) to overturn an early 21-7 deficit to overcome the Chicago Bears (2-3) and come away with a 31-24 victory. The win gives the Panthers sole possession of first place within their division and generates reassurances about the team's future moving forward.
Things looked grim for Carolina early in the game, as the Bears took advantage of three turnovers and turned each one into seven points. Somehow, the Carolina defense found a way to overcome the early hole and play at a level that allowed the offense to bring the team back.
Despite a depleted backfield with a patchwork group of running backs comprising the rushing attack, Cam Newton was able to play another solid game and tossed two touchdown passes to tight end Greg Olsen to give the Panthers the win.
The game was not pretty (in the first half) for Carolina, but the second half made up for it. The following slides will discuss which units graded out well and which ones needed improvement.
Quarterback
1 of 10
Cam Newton has done a good job of quarterbacking his team this year, and while his production has paled compared to some of his peers around the league, his skills as a pocket passer have improved with each game. It has been interesting to watch Newton go from a scrambling, playmaking quarterback to a game-managing, good-decision-making passer.
He did throw his first interception of the season, but he did not let it get him down and he came up clutch when he had to late in the game. Being aided by Greg Olsen helped him out tremendously, and his performance helped keep the Panthers above .500 and in first place within their division.
After five games, Newton has proven he doesn't need to throw for more than 300 yards or run all over the place to be an effective quarterback. If he is given adequate support in other facets of the game, he can do enough to guide his team to a win.
Grade: B+
Running Backs
2 of 10
With DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart and Mike Tolbert out, the Panthers turned to Darrin Reaves, Chris Ogbannaya and Philly Brown to pick up the slack. While Brown is regarded as a receiver, his 22 yards on the ground showed how versatile he can be in the offense.
Reaves and Ogbannaya didn't do anything spectacular, and the duo combined for 59 yards on 19 carries, but they did do enough to keep much of the pressure off of Cam Newton and the passing game. Ogbannaya even scored a touchdown in his Carolina debut when the Panthers were on the goal line.
Reaves strung together a decent performance and even had a big 16-yard reception. He may not be the long-term answer at running back, but he gives the Panthers a solid option as a third running back when the regular starters return.
Grade: B-
Wide Receivers and Tight Ends
3 of 10
Greg Olsen was the star of the receiving game, as he led the team in receptions (six) and receiving yards (72). His two touchdowns proved to be very important, as it helped the Carolina Panthers claim victory over Chicago. He had been playing at a level that was either comparable or just slightly above or below rookie Kelvin Benjamin, but on Sunday, it was all about the Carolina tight end.
Speaking of Benjamin, the rookie had perhaps his worst performance of his young career. He only caught three passes on 11 targets. One of those was a big drop that could have netted the Panthers another set of downs and a chance at a touchdown inside the red zone, but Carolina would settle for a field goal. The rookie still has a lot of upside and will have a great career in Carolina. Less-than-desirable performances like today will happen and can be excused if his teammates can pick him up.
Jerricho Cotchery and Jason Avant combined for five catches and 88 yards, the latter being instrumental in a late-second-quarter charge that would get the Panthers back into the game.
There was a strong showing by the supporting cast of receivers and had the star of the unit been on his game, Carolina may have won this by more than seven points.
Grade: B
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Offensive Line
4 of 10
The Carolina offensive line is still not where they need to be, as they allowed Cam Newton to be sacked twice, and until the running game can be a legitimate threat, they cannot be graded any higher than that of a mediocre unit. However, there were some moments that offered glimpses of the line's potential.
Byron Bell had an up-and-down game. He had his moments where he looked strong protecting Cam Newton's blind side, but he was beat (along with Amini Silatolu) by Willie Young and gave up a sack. Additionally, he was flagged for a hands-to-the-face penalty, but the replay didn't seem to suggest that an infraction had occurred.
On a positive note, the offensive line did enough to give the Panthers an opportunity to win, and because they came away with the victory, the line gets a better grade this week than it had the last two games.
Grade: C+
Defensive Line
5 of 10
Charles Johnson, Kawann Short, Wes Horton and Marion Addison combined for 11 tackles (three for loss) and four sacks to rebound from a shaky opening half. Their efforts offset the Chicago passing and rushing attack late in the game and proved to be the driving force for the Panthers' comeback win.
The defensive line's first-half performance was easily a below-average showing, as they gave up 21 points and let the tandem of Matt Forte and Jay Cutler move the ball at will. However, the halftime adjustments were deserving of an "A" grade, and because the final sack forced a fumble, the unit is deserving of high praise.
After two quarters, the line looked like the unit of the past two weeks. The second half showed a line reminiscent of the defensive front that Carolina fans have come to know and love, paving the way for a hard-fought victory.
Grade: B+
Linebackers
6 of 10
Led by Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis, the Carolina linebacker corps was strong all around. The linebackers not only stepped up on defense, but on special teams, too. Ben Jacobs had one tackle, but it was on a kick return and forced the Bears to start deep inside their own territory.
However, the performances of Kuechly and Davis were incredible.
Kuechly was all over the field again, and while he failed to record a sack or defend a pass, his leading 15 tackles were possible because he found a way to get to the ball-carrier on many plays. Davis led his team in the pregame huddle and fired them up before kickoff.
After missing a tackle, he became a force and recorded eight tackles during the game. One of those resulted in a loss of yards. His resurgence seemed to come at the same time the rest of the unit found a spark, and that fire was used to propel Carolina to a come-from-behind victory.
Grade: A
Secondary
7 of 10
Chalk up the contributions of Roman Harper and Thomas DeCoud for being a difference-maker for the Panthers. Both men had interceptions, which kept the Bears from increasing their big lead early. DeCoud also had four tackles which was matched by Melvin White.
White came on after Josh Norman was injured early in the game. His performance provided reason that he can be a reliable starter and seemed to put last week's game behind him.
Antoine Cason was instrumental in sealing victory for Carolina, as he stripped Matt Forte of the ball with the game tied at 24 and the ensuing fumble was recovered by the Panthers. The secondary had their hands full with the Bears' talented receivers, but they stepped up and turned in a solid game despite allowing Cutler to throw for 289 yards.
Grade: B
Special Teams
8 of 10
Philly Brown can be an asset for the Carolina Panthers. Just not on special teams. His adventurous day at punt returner began with a punt that he fumbled due to a jarring hit, but he was able to recover and take it back 79 yards for a touchdown.
It should be noted that the fumble was caused due to an illegal hit that would have allowed the Panthers to retain possession regardless if the fumble was lost or not. Brown needs to know his surroundings better on punt returns, because one day a similar hit will not result in a penalty.
As for the ensuing play, the Panthers had gone 164 games without a punt-return touchdown prior to that score, with Steve Smith being the last Panther to accomplish the feat.
However, Brown's later returns made Carolina fans hold a collective breath, as he fell backwards on one return. His score may have been more luck than anything, but it's a bit scary watching him field punts.
Graham Gano hit a clutch field goal, connecting from 44 yards out to tie the game. He was perfect on all four of his extra-point attempts.
Brad Nortman averaged 48.2 yards per punt, and with the Panthers offense giving up some early turnovers complete with excellent field position, having Nortman around to flip the field on fourth down was a welcome sight.
Grade: A
Coaching
9 of 10
Credit Ron Rivera with settling his team down and making adjustments to come back from a big hole early and getting the win. Per the NFL Fox halftime interview, Rivera told his team what needed to be done in the second half in order to win this game and the Panthers did not disappoint him.
Sean McDermott's unit looked like the top defense of old and rattled Jay Cutler enough to keep him and his receivers from scoring again. Mike Shula put together a sound game plan on offense given the limited resources. He may be having Cam Newton take it easy under center, but he was able to play well.
A comeback win speaks volumes about the mentality and preparation a team has during a game. The coaches should be lauded for their efforts, because this victory was perhaps the biggest of the year.
Grade: A
Final Grade
10 of 10
Quarterbacks: B+
Running Backs: B-
Wide Receivers and Tight Ends: B
Offensive Line: C+
Defensive Line: B+
Linebackers: A
Secondary: B
Special Teams: A
Coaching: A
Final Grade: B+
Carolina showed tremendous poise and mental toughness in Week 5. Rebounding from an early 21-7 hole is not an easy feat and turning the ball over three times can really stick with a team as the game progresses. The Panthers were not deterred and won a game they absolutely needed.
The road ahead is a difficult one, and if the team that defined Carolina in the second half shows up for the remainder of the season, there is a reason to be optimistic when December comes around.
Player stats and team information provided by ESPN.com.
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