Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton pulled aside rookie receiver DJ Moore and second-year receiver Curtis Samuel on Saturday, the night before the team took the field against Baltimore.
“I put the pressure on them,” said Newton, after the Panthers’ 36-21 victory on Sunday. “I told ‘em, with (Torrey Smith) being out, it’s going to be very important for them to kind of come in and get a good groove on early on. And that’s what they did.”
Man, did they.
Between the Panthers’ young offensive playmakers, stellar playcalling that featured a ton of pre-and-post-snap misdirection, and an excellent game by Newton, Carolina’s decisive victory offered a glimpse at the offense’s future.