Five Takeaways From Panthers’ Hall of Fame Game Victory
The Carolina Panthers opened the preseason with a thrilling 33-30 win over the Arizona Cardinals in the Hall of Fame Game on Thursday night in Canton. While preseason results don’t carry much weight, the performance offered a first real look at several roster battles heading into the regular season.
The undrafted rookie quarterback delivered the standout performance of the night, throwing for 180 yards and two touchdowns without a turnover while adding 39 rushing yards, including the game-winning score. Dave Canales typically keeps just two quarterbacks, but King’s clutch showing makes him hard to cut.
The offensive line held up despite the questions
With both starting tackles out for the foreseeable future and no clear answer at center, the patchwork unit allowed just one sack. Pass protection was stronger than the run blocking, and King’s ability to extend plays with his legs helped mask some early hiccups.
Receiver depth passed the test
With the top four wideouts held out and Chris Brazzell II lost for the season, players like John Metchie III, Jimmy Horn Jr. and Ja’seem Reed stepped up and eased concerns about depth at the position.
The pass rush flashed some juice
Carolina managed only two sacks, from Nick Hampton and Jared Harrison-Hunte, but generated pressure throughout. Neither player was considered a lock to make the roster before the game.
The secondary’s depth is a concern
Jaycee Horn, Mike Jackson and Tre’von Moehrig remain a strong top trio, but backups struggled badly. Cardinals passers combined to complete 24 of 29 attempts for 282 yards and two touchdowns, with even promising rookie Will Lee III getting beat repeatedly.
Preseason wins don’t count in the standings, but for a Panthers team retooling several position groups, Thursday night offered plenty of encouraging signs to build on.
