Tag: Carolina

Dec 30, 2022; Jacksonville, FL, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks wide receiver Antwane Wells Jr. (3) runs with the ball away from Notre Dame Fighting Irish defensive lineman Gabriel Rubio (97) during the first half in the 2022 Gator Bowl at TIAA Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-USA TODAY Sports

Ole Miss lands former All-SEC WR Antwane ‘Juice’ Wells

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Ole Miss bulked up its passing attack with former All-SEC second-team wide receiver Antwane “Juice” Wells Jr. after first focusing on adding to its defense via the transfer portal.

Wells is the No. 2-ranked wide receiver in the transfer portal by 247Sports and the No. 13 player overall.

He began his career at James Madison, where Wells had 83 catches for 1,250 yards in 2021. He transferred to South Carolina, posting 928 yards on 68 catches in his first Southeastern Conference season in 2022, when he was second-team All-SEC.

Wells missed all but three games this season due to a foot injury in September, finishing with just 37 yards and a touchdown on three catches.

The 6-foot-1, 208-pounder out of Richmond, Va., is the ninth player added by Rebels coach Lane Kiffin and his staff during this transfer window. That includes former Tennessee defensive back Tamarion McDonald and defensive end Tyler Baron, and former Florida edge rusher Princely Umanmielen.

Wells, who has two years of eligibility remaining, joins a receiving corps that is expected to return Tre Harris and Jordan Watkins along with incoming junior college player Deion Smith, who previously played for LSU.

However, Dayton Wade has said that the Peach Bowl on Dec. 30 will be his final game.

–Field Level Media

Oct 1, 2023; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. (5) runs for yards after catch against Minnesota Vikings safety Harrison Smith (22) during the second half at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

Panthers’ Laviska Shenault out, Brian Burns questionable

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Carolina Panthers wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. and safety Vonn Bell will miss Sunday’s home game against the Houston Texans.

Outside linebacker Brian Burns is questionable after missing practice Friday because of an elbow injury.

Shenault sustained a high-ankle sprain in a 42-21 loss at the Miami Dolphins on Oct. 15, and the Panthers (0-6) had a bye week in Week 7.

Shenault, 25, has seven receptions for 43 yards and 12 carries for 55 yards in six games this season.

Bell, 28, has been dealing with a quadriceps injury. He has started all five games he has played this season and has 33 tackles and one interception.

Burns, the Panthers’ star edge rusher, was limited at practice Thursday and out Friday because of the elbow injury and not related to a potential trade, NFL Network reported.

Burns, 25, a Pro Bowl selection the past two seasons, has 20 tackles, including four sacks and seven tackles for loss, in starting all six games this season.

“He had a kind of a little thing happened yesterday on a play where he hurt his elbow,” Panthers coach Frank Reich said Friday. “Got it checked out, just today was still an issue. So getting further evaluation on that to try to see where we’re at. …

“I really don’t have any of that information at this point. I’ve been told there’s a chance he could play, but it just all depends on what the test results show.”

Carolina also listed linebackers Kamu Grugier-Hill (illness) and Frankie Luvu (hip), safety Xavier Woods (hamstring) and tackle Taylor Moton (knee) as questionable for Sunday against the Texans (3-3).

–Field Level Media

Jan 15, 2023; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Miami Dolphins safety Eric Rowe (21) before playing against the Buffalo Bills in a NFL wild card game at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports

Panthers agree to terms with S Eric Rowe

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The Carolina Panthers agreed to terms Thursday with defensive back Eric Rowe. Contract details were not disclosed.

The versatile veteran broke into the NFL as a cornerback with the Philadelphia Eagles (2015) and New England Patriots (2016-18) before playing safety with the Miami Dolphins (2019-22).

Rowe, 30, was a second-round pick by Philadelphia in 2015 and won two Super Bowl rings with New England.

In 100 games (56 starts), he has recorded 381 tackles, six forced fumbles, five interceptions and two sacks.

–Field Level Media

Dec 13, 2021; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals wide receivers coach Shawn Jefferson against the Los Angeles Rams at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Reports: Panthers hire DeAngelo Hall, Shawn Jefferson

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The Carolina Panthers have added two former NFL players to coach Frank Reich’s staff, multiple outlets reported.

Three-time Pro Bowl cornerback DeAngelo Hall will be the assistant defensive backs coach and 13-year NFL wideout Shawn Jefferson will coach the receivers.

Hall, 39, has been working as an analyst for NFL Network. This is his first coaching position at any level.

Hall was the eighth overall pick by Atlanta in the 2004 NFL Draft. He played in 171 games (158 starts) and recorded 43 interceptions (five returned for touchdowns) with the Falcons (2004-07), Oakland Raiders (2008) and Washington (2008-17).

Jefferson, who turns 54 on Wednesday, was the associate head coach for the Arizona Cardinals last season.

He began his NFL coaching career with the Detroit Lions in 2006 and also has coached the wide receivers for the Tennessee Titans (2013-15), Miami Dolphins (2016-18), New York Jets (2019-20) and Cardinals.

Jefferson caught 470 passes for 7,023 yards and 29 TDs in 195 games (130 starts) with the San Diego Chargers (1991-95), New England Patriots (1996-99), Falcons (2000-02) and Lions (2003).

The Panthers hired Reich last month after finishing 7-10 last season under Matt Rhule (1-4) and interim coach Steve Wilks (6-6).

–Field Level Media

Dec 24, 2022; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard (30) runs during the first quarter against the Detroit Lions at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

Panthers dominate on the ground to end Lions’ win streak

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D’Onta Foreman ran for 165 yards and Chuba Hubbard racked up 125 yards on the ground as the Carolina Panthers got back on track by trouncing the Detroit Lions 37-23 on Saturday afternoon in Charlotte, N.C.

A week after gaining only 21 rushing yards, the Panthers used a punishing ground attack right from the start on the way to snapping the Lions’ three-game winning streak.

Foreman, Raheem Blackshear and quarterback Sam Darnold all scored rushing touchdowns as the Panthers (6-9) won for the third time in their last four games and remained within a game of first place in the NFC South.

The Panthers’ quest for the divisional title will take them to road games against Tampa Bay and New Orleans to close the regular season.

Amid frigid conditions for Carolina’s home finale, Darnold threw for a touchdown as part of his 15-for-22 day with 250 yards through the air. DJ Moore made five catches for 83 yards and a touchdown.

Jared Goff threw three touchdown passes to tight end Shane Zylstra for the Lions (7-8), but this result was damaging to Detroit’s wild-card aspirations. Goff finished 25 for 42 for 355 yards. DJ Chark made four catches for 108 yards.

Of the Panthers’ 570 yards of total offense, 320 came on the ground.

Hubbard picked up 70 yards in just three carries on Carolina’s first possession, with the Panthers going 78 yards in five plays, ending on Blackshear’s 7-yard touchdown run.

The Lions pulled even on Zylstra’s 3-yard pass from Goff. Detroit’s next possession ended in a fumble after moving 82 yards on 13 plays, when Yetur Gross-Matos recovered Goff’s fumbled snap at the Carolina 9-yard line.

The Panthers scored 17 points in the final 9:35 of the first half, capped by Eddy Pineiro’s 37-yard field goal on the final play before the break. The Panthers had a team-record 364 yards of first-half total offense.

The margin ballooned to 31-7 on Darnold’s 5-yard pass play to Moore on the Panthers’ first possession of the second half. Pineiro added fourth-quarter field goals from 40 and 36 yards.

Zylstra caught touchdowns of 7 yards and 1 yard in the second half but Detroit could not draw closer than 14 points.

–Field Level Media

Sep 19, 2021; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers linebacker Frankie Luvu (49) after the second half against the New Orleans Saints at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

Panthers place LB Frankie Luvu on COVID list

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The Carolina Panthers placed linebacker Frankie Luvu on the reserve/COVID-19 list on Saturday.

The Panthers (5-7) are on their bye week. They host the Atlanta Falcons on Dec. 12.

Luvu, 25, has appeared in all 12 games this season (three starts), tallying 23 tackles, 1.5 sacks and three fumble recoveries.

He has 82 tackles, 19 quarterback hits and 7.5 sacks in 52 career games (seven starts) with the New York Jets (2018-20) and Panthers.

–Field Level Media

Nov 28, 2021; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins running back Myles Gaskin (37) reaches the end zone for a touchdown against the Carolina Panthers during the second period at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

Dolphins rout Panthers for fourth straight win

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Tua Tagovailoa completed 27 of 31 passes for 230 yards and one touchdown, leading the host Miami Dolphins to their fourth straight win, beating the Carolina Panthers 33-10 on Sunday afternoon.

It was Miami’s highest-scoring game of the season.

Carolina (5-7) benched starting quarterback Cam Newton early in the fourth quarter. Newton completed just 5 of 21 passes for 92 yards and no touchdowns. He was intercepted twice and sacked once.

Miami (5-7) got a great performance from rookie wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, who caught nine passes for 137 yards and one touchdown. It was his first career 100-yard game.

Tagovailoa, who was not intercepted, became the first quarterback in Dolphins history to complete at least 80 percent of his passes in two straight games. He completed 81.8 percent of his passes last week against the Jets and 87.1 percent versus Carolina.

The Dolphins also benefitted from a punt block recovered in the end zone, and Myles Gaskin had two rushing touchdowns, both of them 3-yarders on direct snaps.

Miami’s defense picked off three passes, by Xavien Howard, Jevon Holland and Nik Needham. Howard, who has twice led the league in interceptions, has 25 career picks.

Special teams put the Dolphins on the board first as Justin Coleman, who was covering the gunner, blitzed. He was blocked, but that freed Duke Riley for an untouched path to the punter. Coleman recovered the blocked punt and traveled 2 yards for a 7-0 lead.

Despite getting a punt blocked for the first time since 2014, Carolina had an early answer as Newton beat a seven-man blitz with a 64-yard pass to DJ Moore. Newton capped that drive with a one-yard TD run.

In the second quarter, Howard ran his interception back to the Carolina 9-yard line. On third and goal from the 9, Tagovailoa hit Waddle with a TD pass, giving Miami a 14-7 lead.

Gaskin’s 3-yard TD run and a 41-yard field goal from Carolina’s Zane Gonzalez left the Dolphins with a 21-10 halftime lead.

Miami put the game away with its first possession of the second half, a 13-play, 80-yard march that ended in another Gaskin score. That drive ate up 7:24 on the clock.

–Field Level Media

Nov 21, 2021; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) runs for a touchdown as Washington Football Team cornerback Kendall Fuller (29) defends in the second quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Taylor Heinicke lifts Washington past Cam Newton, Panthers

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Taylor Heinicke threw three touchdown passes to upstage former teammate Cam Newton, helping the Washington Football Team post a 27-21 win over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday in Charlotte, N.C.

Newton was playing his first home game with the Panthers since 2019. He was signed as a free agent prior to last weekend’s upset victory at Arizona.

Yet it was a good homecoming for Washington coach Ron Rivera, who guided the Panthers to the Super Bowl in the 2015 season. He was fired during the 2019 season.

Heinicke completed 16 of 22 passes for 206 yards for Washington (4-6). Terry McLaurin made five catches for 103 yards and a touchdown, and Antonio Gibson gained 95 yards on 19 carries.

Newton threw for 189 yards on 21-for-27 passing with two touchdowns.

Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey had 60 receiving yards and 59 rushing yards – both team highs.

Washington’s Joey Slye, also a former Panther, kicked a 36-yard field goal with 4:23 remaining to break a tie. That 12-play drive included a fourth-and-3 conversion.

The Panthers failed to pick up a first down on their ensuing possession. By the time Slye kicked a 29-yard field goal with 1:54 left, Carolina was out of timeouts.

The Panthers had one first down before Newton was sacked on fourth down, sealing the outcome.

Carolina had tied the game on Newton’s 27-yard pass play to McCaffrey with 10:44 remaining in the fourth quarter. That march, which covered 91 yards in seven plays, was just the Panthers’ second possession of the second half.

Washington took its first lead on the first possession of the second half. A 10-play drive concluded on Heinicke’s third-down pass to DeAndre Carter for 4 yards.

That drive took 5:39 and came after Washington kept the ball for 5:43 until the final seconds of the first half.

The Panthers began the scoring on Newton’s 10-yard pass to DJ Moore on the game’s opening possession.

Heinicke threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to Cam Sims as Washington tied the game early in the second quarter.

Newton ran for 24 yards for Carolina’s next touchdown. Washington answered with just nine seconds left in the first half on Heinicke’s 12-yard pass to McLaurin.

–Field Level Media

Aug 27, 2021; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers kicker Ryan Santoso (9) kicks a field goal in the fourth quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Panthers cut kicker, sign Zane Gonzalez off Lions practice squad

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Kicker Zane Gonzalez was signed by the Carolina Panthers off the practice squad of the Detroit Lions on Tuesday.

Gonzalez will handle kicking duties for the Panthers, who waived kicker Ryan Santoso.

Cutting Santoso after one game also spared the Panthers their 2022 seventh-round pick. That compensation was owed to the New York Giants in a trade, but only if Santoso remained on the roster for two weeks.

He missed an extra point in Sunday’s win over the Jets.

Gonzalez, 26, was in camp with the Panthers earlier this summer on a tryout basis.

Before joining the Lions’ practice squad, Gonzalez also played for the Cleveland Browns and Arizona Cardinals. In 2019, he made 31 of 35 field goals (88.6 percent) and 34 of 35 extra points (97.1 percent) with the Cardinals.

For his career, Gonzalez has made 78 percent of his field goal attempts and 94.6 percent of PATs.

–Field Level Media

Kylie Koepke, 7, of Union shows her Panthers pride at the event. Shj Panthers Back Together22

Panthers’ artificial turf debuts to (mostly) positive reviews

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Bank of America Stadium officially has made the transition from grass to artificial turf, as the Carolina Panthers’ new home field made its debut Friday at the Panthers’ FanFest.

“For the first time being on it, I think it is in really good shape,” head coach Matt Rhule said. “I think it will compact some more and that is part of the normal process. I know it tested well when they tested it. Obviously having no injuries on it was great.”

The players were also mostly positive, although star running back Christian McCaffrey could see the pros and the cons.

“There are different turfs and some turfs are better than others,” McCaffrey said. “Some grasses that are better than others. Obviously, grass is great, but you get a rainstorm and the grass gets terrible, and that’s not good. There are pros and cons of both.

“It is what it is.”

The downside to artificial turf is the wear and tear it puts on players’ bodies. The NFLPA says players are 69 percent more likely to sustain a non-contact injury on artificial turf.

The decision was made to help the Panthers coexist with the Charlotte Football Club of Major League Soccer, which will begin playing their home games at the venue in 2022.

In addition to Panthers and Charlotte Football Club games, the stadium plays host to several college football games — including the ACC Championship, The Duke’s Mayo Bowl and regular season matchups such as Georgia-Clemson on Sept. 4 — and multiple large concerts throughout the year.

The Panthers first began playing on their grass surface in 1996.

–Field Level Media