Carolina Panthers: Solid QB Play, No Injuries Make Preseason Opener a Success

The most anticipated Carolina Panthers preseason game in recent memory certainly didn't disappoint.

Fans eager to see No. 1 overall pick Cam Newton and a new-look gameplan were treated to both, along with a few added surprises. 

One of those surprises was wide receiver Armanti Edwards. The second-year converted quarterback showed his versatility with two great punt returns and a 36-yard reception from Newton in the first half.

Edwards' rookie season was one to forget and it's nice to see him back on the field, especially after performing well in training camp.

Trade acquisition Greg Olsen also had a great game. He hauled in big receptions from both Newton and Jimmy Clausen and looked more than worthy of the third-round pick that was given up to get him.

Tight ends are expected to have an increased role under new offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski, and being targeted nine times overall last night proved that theory. Olsen should play a big part in this year's pass offense.

The defense also impressed last night, particularly the cornerbacks. Thought to be one of the weakest positions, the backups were solid in the absence of the two probable starters, Chris Gamble and Captain Munnerlyn.

On the line, defensive tackles Corvey Irvin and rookie Sione Fua plugged up the middle and stunted the Giants' inside running game. 

Backup linebacker Thomas Williams' eight solo tackles and one sack also must be noted; Carolina may have found another backup at already its strongest position.

But to me, the biggest pros to take away from the game were solid play from the three quarterbacks and no significant injuries reported. 

Clausen's first two passes of the game went for 31 and 56 yards. The first pass was to wide receiver Brandon LaFell, while the second was completed to Giants linebacker Michael Boley for a pick-six.

Flashbacks of his disastrous rookie season immediately ran through the minds of Panther fans, but Clausen shook off the turnover and the boo-birds to throw an 18-yard touchdown to Olsen a few drives later. He finished the night 4-of-7 for 69 yards and a touchdown. 

The man of the night, Cam Newton, made his debut in the second quarter to a stadium full of cheers. He showed flashes of potential, right away hitting Olsen for 11 yards off a bootleg. Later on the drive he found Olsen again downfield between two defenders for 30 yards—easily his best completion of the night.

He did miss a few open targets and was sacked twice, but he made good reads and wasn't flushed out of the pocket once. Newton threw for 134 yards, completing 8-of-19 passes. Not a bad start for the Heisman Trophy winner.

Derek Anderson wrapped it up in the fourth quarter, going 3-of-4 for 71 yards and a 35-yard touchdown toss to rookie wide receiver Kealoha Pilares. The stat line may inflate his actual performance a bit, but it's clear that he is the quarterback with the best grasp of the offense.

It's much too early to say for sure who will be under center for the season opener in Arizona, but each quarterback made a case for the starting job last night. That's great news for Panthers fans.

With two possible starters already going down for the season in defensive tackle Ron Edwards and wide receiver David Gettis, playing an injury-free preseason game was first priority for the Panthers. So far, none have been reported and hopefully the rest of the team can stay healthy leading up to the regular season. 

Injuries were a big culprit of last year's 2-14 flop with DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart, Matt Moore and Thomas Davis all missing significant amounts of time.

Overall, last night's preseason opener was a refreshing sight in Carolina. It wasn't a perfect game by any means, but there's plenty to build off of next Friday against Miami.