Panthers have slow start to practices vs. Colts with much to improve on
The message going into the Carolina Panthers’ two joint practices against the Indianapolis Colts was that this would reveal where this team is. A measuring stick against a team that went to the playoffs last year.
If Thursday’s practice was indeed a reflection of where this team stands, at least offensively, the Panthers have work to be done.
There were plenty of dropped passes and less than satisfied expressions from the coaching staff. At one point during practice, coach Matt Rhule turned to the team’s top receivers — DJ Moore and Robby Anderson — and expressed what appeared to be some tough words about their performance.
While quarterback Sam Darnold appeared to be throwing high at times and have an up-and-down day of his own, after practice Rhule put much of the responsibility on the receivers.
“Not real happy about our receivers today, not a lot of discipline in terms of route running,” Rhule said. “Wrong depths, a lot of missed assignments today, so put a lot of pressure on our quarterbacks to have to adjust to guys, not running the routes at the right depth, so I’m just frustrated with that.”
The coach watched the Panthers offense the entire day.
The two teams spent a majority of the practices doing team drills — 11-on-11, 7-on-7 and red zone drills. Rhule said he did think that the team protected Darnold well and that the running backs made some good cuts. Running back Rodney Smith had an especially nice day, working primarily with the second-team offense quarterbacked by P.J. Walker.
It wasn’t just the route running that was a problem, however. It was how the team came out to practice in general. There was a lack of energy, especially compared to how revved up the Colts were for practice.
“(We) eased into the practice too much, our first joint practice, in terms of the tempo,” Rhule said. Running back Christian McCaffrey and other veterans were angry with the team’s energy, per Rhule, and pushed the team through practice.
Walker attributed the lack of urgency partly to the team’s youth, although the players on the offensive side of the ball are older than on the defensive side.
But the quarterback, currently in a battle with Grier for the No. 2 job, said it was seeing a different defense that set the offense back.
“(It’s) defenses that we haven’t protected, so for us to go out there and see these things today, I think we go back in the room tomorrow and tonight, and we’ll be able to come out here tomorrow and play a lot faster,” Walker said. “Us being unaware of what they’re gonna do and how much they’re going to do. It just threw us off a little bit.”
The only interception of the day came from Grier on a pass intended for receiver Omar Bayless. The pass was picked off by Colts safety Greg Odum.
There were multiple drops from the likes of Anderson. Even typically reliable tight end Dan Arnold lost a football when coming to the ground. Cornerback Andre Chachere of the Colts helped cause the loose ball. Arnold was the subject of a couple of rough hits throughout the practice.
The focus given to Darnold was to protect the football out at practice. Check that box, but the inconsistencies across the board were apparent, including plenty of trouble getting the ball downfield.
“I wouldn’t put too much on Sam today, I thought that Sam was the least of our problems,” Rhule said. “A. we weren’t always winning and B. just not precise, where we wanted to be. Hopefully we’ll correct that tonight, come out tomorrow and look much, much, much sharper.”
Stats from 11-on-11 drills:
Darnold: 7/13
Walker: 4/ 7
Grier: 2/3, plus INT
NOTES FROM PRACTICE
▪ Center Matt Paradis did not end up practicing Thursday. He did warm up with the team, but was held out due to back tightness. He left Sunday’s practice early due to his back tightness and was limited during the week. Sam Tecklenburg played first-team center snaps in his place.
Left tackle Cam Erving practiced some, but was limited as he returns from a shoulder injury. Taylor Moton and Trent Scott were part of a rotation at left tackle. Moton looked steady on the left side, but keeping him on the right is the ideal scenario. Running back Darius Clark fully participated after missing time with a concussion.
▪ Seven players did not travel with the team to Indianapolis, primarily due to injuries —WR Keith Kirkwood, CB A.J. Bouye, S Myles Hartsfield, LB Julian Stanford, LB Denzel Perryman, LB Clay Johnston, OL Dennis Daley.
▪ Wide receivers Brandon Zylstra and C.J. Saunders each had a couple of good catches throughout Thursday’s practice. Saunders has been a surprise standout of camp, catching almost everything that comes his way. He also has been practicing as a punt returner, something the undrafted free agent from Ohio State did in college.
“He’s a football player,” Rhule said of Saunders, paying him one of the coach’s highest compliments. “He dropped one though on third down, which was unlike him, but (tight end) Colin Thompson makes a catch to the back of the end zone, that’s one of things we’re trying to express to our team is, it’s not always where you were drafted, or how many plays you caught in college. It’s about who comes out here and competes and make plays.”
▪ Second-year safety Jeremy Chinn returned to the city he grew up in with the Panthers arrival in Indianapolis. He had a solid day, including a pass defense against tight end Farrod Green that got a bit of a reaction from the crowd.
▪ During the special teams portion of practice, punter Joe Charlton put together an impressive day with some booming punts, assisted by strong wind in the direction of his kicks. The second-year player out of South Carolina has developed as both a punter and a holder since his rookie year. The Panthers released his only competition, undrafted punter Oscar Draguicevich III out of Washington State, earlier in camp.
“I’m very happy with where Joe is,” Rhule said earlier in camp. “... He’s putting the ball where we want it. His holding, which was not a strength for him coming in. He’s gotten much more consistent with this hold. I think Joe’s having a good camp.”
▪ Overall, the two teams escaped the first practice with minimal injuries, as is known to this point, and with few skirmishes. Cornerback Jaycee Horn appeared to be involved in a minor scrum and there were some conversations between Colts and Panthers players during special teams drills, including with cornerback Donte Jackson. It never escalated from some words back-and-forth.
▪ Former Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. is taking in practice the next couple of days before calling the team’s preseason game as a TV analyst. Smith spent some time with Moore on the sideline discussing releasing at the line of scrimmage and the day’s practice.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“A lot of guys don’t realize Sam is as athletic (as he is) ... For me, to just see him put the ball down and run, see the decisions that he makes from the throwing angles that he does, he just helps me. Love the way he throws the ball on the run ... I got to be able to throw the ball on the run like he can.”
-- P.J. Walker on how Sam Darnold helps him as a quarterback.
PLAY OF THE DAY
This one goes out to the Thompson touchdown catch referenced above. While the first-team offense struggled to get much going during the red zone drills, the second- and third-team offenses scored three touchdowns, including a pass from Grier to Bayless.
On this touchdown, Grier found Thompson in the back corner of the end zone with a couple of defenders in the area. It was an impressive catch for Thompson, who is fighting to make the roster after depth was added at the tight end position.
FRIDAY’S SCHEDULE
The Panthers will have a second and final joint practice against the Colts at the team’s training camp site in Westfield, Ind. Practice is scheduled for 4 p.m.
This story was originally published August 12, 2021 at 8:52 PM.
