Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle shared carries with Chuba Hubbard in Sunday's victory at the Meadowlands. By Mike Kaye
The Carolina Panthers had as many sacks as the New York Jets had points on Sunday.
It was that type of afternoon in the Meadowlands. A dominant one for the defense in Carolina’s first road win of the season.
The 13-6 win at MetLife Stadium was the Panthers’ third victory in as many games. And the team needed a performance like that from Derrick Brown, Jaycee Horn and the rest of Ejiro Evero’s defense to get over the .500 hump for the first time since 2021.
Quarterback Bryce Young led three scoring drives in the first three quarters, but he was forced to leave the game after sustaining a right ankle injury just before the fourth quarter. With Young limping the locker room, the defense knew it needed to step up in a low-scoring affair.
New York Jets running back Breece Hall (20) is tackled by Carolina Panthers linebacker Christian Rozeboom (56) in the first quarter at MetLife Stadium Oct. 19, 2025 Vincent Carchietta Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Yes, the group had already dominated the Jets offense to the point that New York QB Justin Fields was benched in favor of veteran backup Tyrod Taylor in the second half. And yes, the group had already tallied up a laundry list of splash plays before the final Jets possession of the third quarter.
But it still wasn’t enough to put away the winless Jets.
So, the defense doubled down on dominance in crunch time. Every time it seemed like the Jets would step into the doorway of momentum, a Panthers defender would shut that door right in their faces — with a sack or a pass breakup or a timely interception.
“We knew coming into the game they had a good defense, and we were going to have to out-play them,” Horn said. “That’s the only thing that Coach E said all throughout the week. We are going to have to create takeaways and outplay their defense and that’s what we did today on every position group.”
Oct 19, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Carolina Panthers cornerback Jaycee Horn (8) intercepts the ball intended for New York Jets wide receiver Josh Reynolds (83) in the fourth quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Vincent Carchietta Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Horn, a Pro Bowl cornerback, and his tag-team partner, Mike Jackson, in particular, made game-defining plays in the final 16 minutes of the battle. Horn and Jackson traded highlights, with Horn collecting two acrobatics interceptions off Taylor, and Jackson breaking up a pair of crucial passes.
“I thought those guys just played excellent together today,” head coach Dave Canales said after the win.
The much-maligned Jets offense struggled to move the ball all afternoon, as expected. But the Panthers’ splash plays came at a rate that would have been hard for even the most optimistic Panthers supporter to predict.
Horn isn’t known for his ball skills. He had six interceptions in 43 games heading into Sunday’s clash.
But against the Jets, Horn padded his highlight reel and stat sheet with a pair of exceptional plays on the ball. Both interceptions took potential scoring opportunities off the board for the Jets in a seven-point win.
Oct 19, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Carolina Panthers cornerback Jaycee Horn (8) celebrates an interception intended for New York Jets wide receiver Josh Reynolds (83) in the fourth quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Vincent Carchietta Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Through seven games, Horn has now matched his career-high in single-season interceptions with three. On Sunday, he had his first multiple pick game since his college days at South Carolina.
“Just capitalizing on the opportunities,” Horn said. “I feel like I’ve been out a lot in my career, so I’m just putting together a string of games and having the opportunity to make plays on the ball. You just try to come up with it and make the most of it.”
The Panthers’ defense had also struggled to find a consistent pass rush through the first six games of the season.
Outside linebacker Patrick Jones (back), one of the few defenders to get regular pressure, was placed on injured reserve on Saturday. That left the front seven feeling a bit understaffed in the pressure department heading into Week 7.
New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields (7) is brought down by Carolina Panthers defensive end Derrick Brown (95) and outside linebacker Nic Scourton (11) at MetLife Stadium Oct. 19, 2025 Robert Deutsch Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images
But, again, the hard-to-predict Panthers pounced on Fields and Taylor, amassing six sacks on 13 drives.
Brown, a Pro Bowl defensive end, collected two QB takedowns by himself. Rookie Nic Scourton, a second-round pick, produced the first 1.5 sacks of his career while starting in place of Jones. Safety Tre’von Moehrig, defensive end A’Shawn Robinson and outside linebacker Princely Umanmielen all added to the pile as well.
“I think we’re finally starting to get it together,” Scourton said about the pass rush.
The Panthers didn’t surrender a touchdown against the Jets. New York was held to 220 net yards and two field goals.
The Jets are known as one of worst (if not the worst) offenses in the league, but the defense had to deliver, regardless of the opponent’s dreary demeanor. And it did.
“It was a hard-fought game, especially playing Justin (Fields),” Brown said. “Then switching quarterbacks and just trying to get everything figured out, how they are going to come out and attack us, it was definitely a challenge ahead of us. To end the game, 13-6, I mean, we’ll take it.”
bOct 19, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields (7) is brought down by Carolina Panthers defensive end Derrick Brown (95) and outside linebacker Nic Scourton (11) at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images Robert Deutsch USA TODAY NETWORK
Following the game, a sea of smiles engulfed the visitors locker room. It was hard to ignore the glee of the moment, especially after the way the defense closed out a tight win.
And while the defense was pleased with its performance, the group understands it’s a week-to-week league. Now’s not the time to take the foot off the gas.
“The vibes are high,” Scourton said. “And we’re ready to get back to Charlotte and get back to work.”