Carolina Panthers vs. Denver Broncos

It’s the rematch between both teams that played in Super Bowl 50, although their rosters look very different. Both of these teams have started miserably, even though they both have the pieces to win.

Denver is a very young team after the draft, where they acquired tons of offensive players. One problems seems to be QB Drew Lock. In every game he has played, he has always had a turnover except for the first game.

For the Panthers, the problems seem to come from the fact that they don’t have their best player, Christian McCaffrey. McCaffrey only played three games because of injury.

Anyways, the game starts off as Broncos’ ball, but they just end up punting. Panthers do the same, and when they punt, the returner for the Broncos, WR Diontae Spencer gets his first pro touchdown when he returns it for 83 yards! Brandon McManus misses the extra point, and back to the Panthers we go.

The Panthers punt again, but this time it doesn’t lead to a touchdown. Both teams punt next, and it’s back to Broncos’ ball. Drew Lock fumbles a pass from S Jeremy Chinn, who is having a great season so far, moving the ball back to the Panthers.

On the second play of the next drive, QB Teddy Bridgewater passes to RB Mike Davis for the touchdown. Broncos answer back with a touchdown of their own. Good plays by RB Melvin Gordon and rookie WR Jerry Jeudy help set up a 2 yard Nick Vannett touchdown. TE Vannett is just wide open in the end zone, and Lock connects to him.

Carolina does nothing before the half and the score is 13-7. Afterwards, Panthers get the ball first, but they just punt, so the Broncos have a chance to take over, and that they do. On the fourth play of the drive, Lock throws deep to his right and rookie WR KJ Hamler is wide open for the 37-yard touchdown. McManus misses the extra point again.

The Panthers now start getting some points on the board. Their offense gets to the Denver 17 and Joey Slye gets a 35-yard field goal bringing the score to 19-10.

The Broncos get right back at it, and on the fourth play of the drive, Lock gets the ball to WR Tim Patrick for 32 yards. Lock then goes to TE Troy Fumagalli for 31 yards and the touchdown, but the booth reviewed the play, ruling  that Fumagalli only gained 29 yards, leaving the Broncos at to the 2 yard line.  They still managed to score on the next play. 

The Panthers get right back at them when they score as well. On the first play of the drive, Bridgewater connects to WR Pharoh Cooper for 12 yards. Later, WR Curtis Samuel gets back-to-back good plays, both passes (although he is very good at taking running plays), one for 17 yards and one for 19 yards. A couple plays after that, Bridgewater runs it in himself for 7 yards and a touchdown, and unlike McManus, Slye actually gets the extra point. That makes the score 25-17. Bridgewater is similar to the previous Carolina QB Cam Newton because both are able to run well.

The Broncos punt, and the Panthers tack on a field goal. Broncos then get a touchdown in three plays. The first play of the drive was Lock rushing for 6, then Lock connecting to RB Melvin Gordon III for 20 yards, and last is another huge KJ Hamler touchdown, this time for 49 yards!

The Panthers (almost) do the same as they get a touchdown in four plays. First was a pass to Davis for 20 yards, then a 32 yard pass to Cooper, then an incompletion to Samuel, and last, Mike Davis strikes again with his second touchdown which was for 10 yards! The score is 32-27, and tensions are rising.

Denver gets the ball. They punt, and Carolina has way more than enough time to score and win the game, although they just end up turning it over on downs, so the Broncos win it 32-27! Drew Lock beats his career high by getting four touchdowns for the whole game.

Notable players include Drew Lock, Curtis Samuel, Mike Davis, KJ Hamler, and Teddy Bridgewater.