Panthers’ rookie Gross-Matos makes key strip-sack in Sunday’s game against Cardinals
Before Panthers coach Matt Rhule threw the challenge flag, Yetur Gross-Matos knew the result.
The rookie defensive end got to Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray on third-and-2 at the Panthers’ 38-yard line and tipped the ball as Murray tried to throw it. Officials initially ruled it an incomplete pass.
“Thankfully, Coach Rhule challenged the play because I knew it was a sack,” he said.
After further review, the officials overturned the call, giving the Panthers the ball. On the play, Gross-Matos used a swim move to beat Charlotte native and Cardinals left tackle D.J. Humphries.
And as Murray cocked his arm back, Gross-Matos was there to swipe at the ball, jarring it loose. Panthers’ safety Tre Boston made a heads-up play by recovering it as everyone else thought it was an incomplete pass.
“That was a big play,” Panthers defensive end Brian Burns said of the sack and fumble recovery. “We needed that.”
It was the only turnover the Panthers forced on Sunday, but it was a crucial one. After the turnover, Teddy Bridgewater capped an eight-play, 74-yard drive with a 2-yard passing touchdown to tight end Ian Thomas. The touchdown put the Panthers up 28-7 with 5:30 left in the third quarter.
Gross-Matos’ sack was a big-time play by the rookie, who almost didn’t play this week. He was dealing with an undisclosed illness that kept him out of Wednesday’s and Thursday’s practices. The coaching staff pondered whether to make him inactive for Sunday’s game.
But he returned to practice Friday after getting over the illness and was ready for Sunday.
“I was still mentally preparing like I was going to play in the game, with film study and getting right with my teammates and physically trying to do as much as I could to stay ready,” Gross-Matos said. “Thankfully, a couple of days before I was able to get clear (by the trainers).”
Gross-Matos declined to say what his illness was, but Rhule said earlier in the week that it was not COVID-19-related.
Before Sunday’s game, Gross-Matos, who the Panthers selected in the second round, had only three tackles through the first three games.
It appeared as if he was struggling, and he had been overshadowed by fellow rookies Derrick Brown and Jeremy Chinn, who were having success.
Gross-Matos didn’t play much in Week 1 against the Raiders, and missed Week 2 against the Bucs when he sustained a concussion after being poked in the eye during a drill in practice. Defensive end Stephen Weatherly has started over him in all four games.
But when he got his chance Sunday, he made the most of it.
The sack wasn’t the only nice play he made. Early in the first quarter, Murray attempted to scramble for a first down. There was open space for Murray to pick up the first down, but Gross-Matos ran Murray down and made the tackle.
“Just trying to find ways to stay ways mentally in the mix was a challenge for me,” Gross-Matos said. “But I felt good about what I was able to put on tape, and just being prepared.”
This story was originally published October 4, 2020 at 6:09 PM.
