Three takeaways from Panthers' win over Packers

Ron Clements

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Three takeaways from Panthers' win over Packers image

Sunday wasn't the return Packers fans wanted to see.

Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was intercepted three times Sunday in a 31-24 loss to the Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. 

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Rodgers, playing for the first time since breaking his right collarbone on Oct. 15, threw a trio of touchdown passes, but his three turnovers prevented the Packers (7-7) from picking up a win they desperately needed to stay in the NFC playoff hunt. 

His first touchdown went to Davante Adams as the Packers tied the game at 7-7 in the first quarter. 

Adams was knocked out of the game following a Rodgers interception when Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis made helmet-to-helmet contact with Adams on an illegal crack-back block.

Davis was flagged, but not ejected for the hit and was visibly remorseful on the sideline. Adams was ruled out with a concussion and, without their leading receiver, the Packers were unable to mount a comeback.

The game was sealed when Panthers cornerback James Bradberry punched the ball from Packers receiver Geronimo Allison at the Panthers 28-yard line 1:48 remaining. Panthers safety Mike Adams then fell on the ball to secure the victory.

Three takeaways from the Panthers' win over the Packers

1. Rodgers was rusty — Rodgers showed some of his old MVP form while going 26 of 45 for 290 yards with three touchdowns. His second touchdown pass came when he scrambled before connecting with Randall Cobb for a 33-yard touchdown that gave the Packers a 14-10 halftime lead.

Rodgers also ran for 43 yards, but he didn't have the same accuracy and arm strength to which we've grown accustomed to seeing. Each of his three interceptions were the result of underthrowing his receivers, including a third-quarter pick on a pass intended for a streaking Cobb. It didn't help that Green Bay's porous offensive line gave up two sacks and five quarterback hits. 

2. Rodgers doesn't play defense — Despite his struggles, Rodgers did provide a boost for the offense against the NFL's fifth-ranked defense. Unfortunately for the Packers, Rodgers couldn't help the defense play better. Newton picked apart the Packers, going 20 of 31 for 242 yards with four touchdowns and zero turnovers. He was sacked just once and ran for 59 yards on nine attempts. 

Newton's favorite target was tight end Greg Olsen, who caught nine passes for 116 yards and a touchdown. Olsen appears to be fully healed from a broken foot that forced him to miss eight weeks. 

The Panthers (10-4) also benefited from a questionable replay review that gave Damiere Byrd a touchdown in the back of the end zone. After initially ruling the pass incomplete, a replay review determined Byrd's butt cheeks touched down in bounds before his back landed out of bounds. Byrd had bobbled the pass, which could have been intercepted had Packers safety HaHa Clinton-Dix simply turned to look for the ball.

Byrd finished with three catches for 25 yards and two touchdowns, the second of which had no controversy.

The Panthers put up 287 yards of offense on the Packers, whose injury-plagued defense entered as the third-worst on third downs. The Panthers were 6 of 12 on third-down conversions on Sunday. 

3. Christian McCaffrey has flown under the radar — McCaffrey was the eighth overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft and is rarely mentioned in the Rookie of the Year conversation. But the rookie running back from Stanford has quietly put together a wonderful maiden season. 

After rushing for 63 yards on 12 carries on Sunday, McCaffrey now has 382 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the season. McCaffrey has also caught six passes for 73 yards and could break Reggie Bush's rookie record for receptions by a running back. Bush caught The record for a rookie running back is 88, set by Reggie Bush in 2006. Bush caught 88 passes for 742 yards and two touchdowns for the Saints in 2006. McCaffrey now has 73 receptions for 592 yards and five touchdowns, including a 7-yard scoring strike to open the scoring in Sunday's game. 

Ron Clements