Grades: Panthers 20, Bears 17

Grades: Panthers 20, Bears 17
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September 15
Charlotte Observer


"QUARTERBACK: B minus

Jake Delhomme's statistics weren't very good, but he managed a very difficult situation well. He didn't get ruffled by the Bears' defensive tactics and was the Comeback Kid again in the fourth quarter.

RUNNING BACKS: C plus

There was no running game until Jonathan Stewart got rolling in the second half. For the first time, the home crowd got to see his powerful running style and ability to break tackles. But he also appeared to miss a blitz pickup that led to a sack. DeAngelo Williams didn't play much in the second half and it'll be interesting to see if he remains the starter.

RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS: C minus

The absence of Steve Smith was more glaring this week. After a very uneventful first half, Muhsin Muhammad made some key plays in the second half and tight end Jeff King made a diving catch at the 1 late in the fourth period to set up the winning touchdown. King and fellow TE Dante Rosario both had false start penalties.

OFFENSIVE LINE: C minus

It was tough blocking against a Bears defense that crowded the line with so many defenders to stop the run. The Panthers struggled mightily in the first half, but improved after halftime. Rookie Jeff Otah was penalized for a false start and for holding.

DEFENSIVE LINE: B

Defensive end Julius Peppers was in on the big fourth-and-1 stop at the end of the game, but still doesn't have a sack. The Panthers' only sack of the day came from defensive tackle Damione Lewis. The line played well in the second half, but overall gave up some big holes for Bears' running back Matt Forte.

LINEBACKERS: B

Jon Beason and Thomas Davis had 11 and 9 tackles, respectively, to lead the team. This unit is playing well, as expected.

DEFENSIVE BACKS: B plus

Overall, a nice job, though cornerback Ken Lucas was fortunate Bears' quarterback Kyle Orton overthrew Marty Booker late in the game. That could have been a long TD. Safety Chris Harris had a huge game again, causing a fumble recovered by Chris Gamble for the second consecutive week. Gamble nearly had two interceptions.

SPECIAL TEAMS: B minus

That's a high grade considering the punting unit gave up a touchdown on a blocked punt in the first quarter. After that, however, the Panthers did a good job of keeping Devin Hester and the Bears' return game in check. It was another stellar performance by John Kasay; he's now 6-for-6 this season on field goal attempts. Kudos also to punter Jason Baker, who averaged 48.5 yards on seven punts and had four downed inside the 20-yard line.

COACHING: B minus

The Panthers didn't look ready for an unorthodox Bears defensive scheme in the first half, but the coaches made some nice adjustments in the second half. They got the blockers to focus more and to listen for Delhomme's calls. The insertion of the bruising Stewart into the lineup in the third quarter was the biggest difference in the game."