The Carolina Panthers have their first big passing play of the season. Quarterback Cam Newton lobbed a bomb down the left sideline to receiver Curtis Samuel to spark a long Panthers drive.
.@CurtisSamuel4__ takes the top off the defense for 44 yards! #TBvsCAR #KeepPounding
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WATCH: https://t.co/32PKxts362 pic.twitter.com/mKawr7Ili1— NFL (@NFL) September 13, 2019
Every Panthers fan watching the game breathed a sigh of relief at this one. Throughout the offseason, there have been concerns about Newton's throwing ability after shoulder surgery. In Week 1 against the Los Angeles Rams, Newton didn't attempt a pass deeper than 20 yards. This obviously fed the narrative of damage to Newton's shoulder, but he looked pretty good on this one.
While it was a decent throw, Curtis Samuel was wide open. Carolina offensive coordinator Norv Turner dialed up a double move for Samuel, who promptly destroyed cornerback Vernon Hargreaves. Look for more passes in the way of Samuel and fellow pass-catcher DJ Moore, as the Tampa Bay secondary is notoriously weak.
Article Continues BelowThe 44 yard toss prompted the first Carolina scoring drive of the evening. Running back Christian McCaffrey will play a huge part in the offense, as he touched the ball a whopping 29 times against the Rams. McCaffrey is in line for an even bigger workload, as Buccaneers middle linebacker Devin White left the game with a knee injury.
White must have been a key part of the game plan for Tampa Bay.
The first-round draft pick has the dynamic speed and hitting ability to contend with McCaffrey, but the Bucs will have to find a new solution as the game goes on.