Panthers RBs make history, boost NFC South title hopes

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Carolina Panthers proper sort out Taylor Moton had all of the offensive linemen put on black ski masks to Friday’s walk-through, not simply to combat the arctic blast that hit the South however to ship a message that his group wouldn’t be embarrassed for the second week in a row.

It wasn’t.

On the coldest day for a house sport in Financial institution of America Stadium historical past, the Panthers used a red-hot operating sport to beat the Detroit Lions 37-23 on Saturday to arrange a showdown subsequent week in opposition to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the NFC South lead.

Carolina rushed for a single-game franchise file 320 yards, together with a team-record 240 within the first half, throughout which Chuba Hubbard and D’Onta Foreman turned the primary pair of backs to every prime 100 first-half dashing yards for the reason that Jacksonville Jaguars in 2006.

The offense general was pink scorching with 570 complete yards, blasting the group file of 548 in opposition to the Miami Dolphins in 2017.

“Beat Christmas ever,’’ Moton stated.

The Panthers improved to 6-9, leaving them a half-game behind the Bucs (6-8), who play the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.

Carolina can win the NFC South by profitable at Tampa Bay subsequent week and at New Orleans the next week.

The dashing effort got here per week after the Pittsburgh Steelers restricted Carolina to 21 yards dashing. It occurred on a day when the temperature at kickoff was 20 levels, eclipsing Carolina’s 2010 file of 30 levels within the season finale.

It got here after interim coach Steve Wilks challenged his line to re-establish management.

Guard Austin Corbett stated Moton’s concept with the ski masks was “good timing.’’

Foreman, who completed with 165 yards dashing on 21 carries, stated the masks symbolized a mindset the Panthers wish to preserve the ultimate two video games with the playoffs nonetheless in attain.

“The mentality, you already know, how they have been going to assault it,’’ he stated of the road. “It was simply the best way they got here in. I beloved it.’’

The mindset was evident from the get-go. Hubbard rushed for 30 yards on the sport’s first play and 35 on the second. He later turned the primary participant with three rushes of 30-plus yards in a half since Tampa Bay’s Doug Martin in 2012 and the primary in a sport since Isaiah Crowell of the New York Jets in 2018.

Hubbard completed the primary half with 109 yards dashing on six carries and had 125 yards on 12 carries by the top of the sport.

“Coach talked all week about ‘Let’s present our true character, our true identification,’’’ Hubbard stated. “It confirmed.’’

Quarterback Sam Darnold had a giant day, too, in enhancing to 3-1 since taking up because the starter. He accomplished 15 of twenty-two go makes an attempt for 250 yards and a landing, and rushed 4 instances for 21 yards and a landing.

It was the kind of complementary soccer Wilks, whose file is 5-5 as interim head coach, has emphasised since changing Matt Rhule after a 1-4 begin. It’s the kind of soccer he believes opponents don’t wish to see late within the season when gamers are banged up, notably as soon as they get into the playoffs.

Smash-mouth soccer is his system. It has helped the Panthers win three of their final 4 video games, dashing for 185 or extra yards within the wins. It’s a system the group believes it might maintain in opposition to Tampa Bay and New Orleans.

Carolina rushed for 173 yards in a 21-3 victory over the Bucs earlier this season, and Tampa Bay has been extra weak to the run of late, giving up 209 yards a number of weeks in the past to San Francisco.

The Panthers had 145 yards dashing in opposition to New Orleans, ranked twenty third in opposition to the run, in an early-season win.

“We talked all week concerning the true character of this soccer group will reveal itself by how we responded,’’ Wilks stated. “We got here out and performed in opposition to an excellent soccer group, a very good soccer group.

“Every part that we do begins up entrance.’’