Here’s why Steve Smith calls Curtis Samuel the Panthers’ ‘Peanut Butter and Jelly’
Former Panthers All-Pro Steve Smith said on the NFL Network’s pregame show that he thought Carolina would beat Atlanta on national TV Thursday night.
A big reason why? Receiver Curtis Samuel.
Samuel has 25 catches this season and averages a modest 38.5 yards per game, but Smith noted that Samuel has made a penchant for making clutch catches.
Entering Thursday’s game, Samuel ranked No. 1 in the NFL among all receivers in third down receptions (14) and third down receptions that resulted in first downs (11).
In Thursday’s The Observer, columnist Scott Fowler called Samuel, well, “Mr. Clutch.”
Smith, it seems, would not disagree. The Panthers lost 25-17 Thursday. Samuel had three carries for 23 yards and a touchdown. He also had four catches for 31 yards and a score.
“The guy that I’m highlighting today (who) can really dominate on third down is Curtis Samuel,” Smith said on the NFL Network pregame show. “Curtis Samuel is doing such a fantastic job. ... The young guys today say, ‘Let me go in my bag.’ Well, what’s in his bag is some bread and he has become peanut better and jelly for the Carolina Panthers on third down. When you’re (playing) like that, you get to feed your folks and feed your pockets.”
Smith also defended Samuel back in early September when reports came out that he wasn’t playing well in preseason workouts.
“What Curtis Samuel needs to do — is get on the football field and learn what his groove is,” Smith said during a radio interview on WFNZ. “There are people who (said) I was just a returner, or people say, ‘We were glad to get him out (of) here and Kelvin Benjamin will replace him. Well, he is parking cars right now, so hold your horses. Just understand, everybody learns differently. ... Just let the young man play, learn the new system which everybody else has to learn, learn his new quarterback....Let him get his time to figure out where he fits in the new offense.”
Seems Mr. Peanut Butter & Jelly has found that role just fine.
This story was originally published October 29, 2020 at 6:57 PM.
