Panthers coach Steve Wilks still ‘excited’ about C.J. Henderson, despite inconsistency
Late in the fourth quarter of the Panthers’ 37-34 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, receiver Damiere Byrd caught a curl route and sprang it 47 yards for a touchdown. Cornerback C.J. Henderson was in man coverage.
There was no miscommunication. Henderson was expecting a deeper route than Byrd ran, and what followed was a sequence of poor tackling with minimal effort from Henderson and a number of other Panthers defenders.
The play was a low point in what was Henderson’s best game of the season, according to Pro Football Focus. The data and analytics website issued Henderson a 91.1 grade in the game against Atlanta, the highest of any Panthers player, and a season-best for Henderson.
The high point was surely Henderson’s overtime interception, which set up a 33-yard field goal attempt by Eddy Piñeiro to win the game. (Piñeiro, of course, missed the kick.) That play, though, helped boost his PFF grade. It also underlined why interim head coach Steve Wilks, defensive coordinator Al Holcomb and the rest of the Panthers’ brass still believe in the third-year defensive back.
“We talk about it all the time, hitting the reset button. Good or bad, you got to be able to win the next rep,” Wilks said. “He had some P.I.’s early in the year and he turned around and made a great play on the ball (on Sunday). So you see that progression with him, in that growth.”
It has been a turbulent season for Henderson. Before Week 7, he was allowing 81% of his targets to be completed. His 102.6 passer rating when targeted was a career-high. In Weeks 8 and 9, against Tom Brady and Marcus Mariota, Henderson allowed a 43% completion percentage and a 76.4 quarterback rating.
His only allowed completion against Atlanta was Byrd’s touchdown. In overtime, Mariota tried Byrd again, but Henderson mirrored him perfectly and intercepted a pass that traveled about 40 yards in the air. Henderson gained 54 yards on the return.
“I don’t think there’s really been a bounce back for C.J. I think people like to pick out a few plays and give it a whole total definition of him,” cornerback Donte Jackson said. “We don’t think he’s like turned it around or nothing, no redemption. He’s been doing everything that he’s been doing. He’s great.”
Defensive coordinator Al Holcomb said the team should’ve tackled better on Byrd’s touchdown.
“I think he was anticipating a deeper route concept based on what we had gotten earlier in the game and was playing off. He should have been closer to the body.” Holcomb said. “He’s a relatively young player. He is maturing each and every week each and every game, the more experiences that he gets.”
Holcomb said he was encouraged by how the defense responded afterward. From a macro perspective, he said the fact the Panthers’ defense has not been flagged in consecutive games highlights the consistency with which the unit is playing.
Early in the season, Henderson used his hands too freely. His tendency to grab defenders made him prone to defensive holding or pass interference calls. Henderson has not been flagged since Week 5.
“That’s what we want to continue to do is play penalty-free, and give ourselves an opportunity to get off the field,” Holcomb said. “To me, it is a sign of a smart football team, and also guys executing the techniques that we’re asking them to execute.”
Henderson, who has played the third most snaps among Panthers cornerbacks behind Jaycee Horn and Jackson, draws a challenging task this week against the Bengals. Quarterback Joe Burrow is one of the game’s best throwers. He is known for trusting his playmaking receivers Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd with explosive opportunities.
The Bengals will likely be without star receiver Ja’Marr Chase. He is battling a hip injury and missed last week. Higgins stands 6 feet-5 and can out-jump defensive backs while Boyd patrols the slot.
“He trusts his skill and he has some great playmakers on the outside,” Jackson said of the Bengals. “Even without Chase, they’re still an explosive offense. They can get a lot of things done through the air and on the ground.”
This story was originally published November 3, 2022 at 5:58 PM.
