The Carolina Panthers had a very one-sided game on Monday night. The defense was spectacular, and the offense was unwatchable. It resulted in a very disappointing loss, and the PFF grades pretty accurately reflect the story of that game, albeit a little too harshly at times.
Jaycee Horn was unfathomably good
Jaycee Horn had the best game of his career on Monday night, and it is an absolute shame it was cut in half by a concussion. He recorded a 94.0 PFF grade, the best on the night by a fair margin. This comes with a 45.0 run defense grade and 25.9 in the tackling category, he was just so incredible in coverage that it didn't matter.
Mike Jackson wasn't too shabby, either
The secondary was decimated by injuries, but when on the field, both top cornerbacks were very good. Mike Jackson was second on the defense (excluding Princely Umanmielen, who played 14 snaps) qith a 79.2 grade. He was also excellent in coverage, posting an 86.2 grade there.
Taylor Moton showed up on offense... barely
As inconsistent as PFF grades can be, it is perfectly accurate that not one offensive player posted a grade above 80. Taylor Moton came closest with a 78.8 grade, and he was really good in the run blocking department, and his pass blocking was solid, too.
Rookie edge rushers performed
Nic Scourto
Oct 26, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers linebacker Nic Scourton (11) runs on to the field before the game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
As mentioned, Princely Umanmielen was good in very limited action, recording an 84.7 grade thanks to a sterling 90.0 in the run defense department. Nic Scourton continued his strong rookie season with a 71.5 grade. He was very solid in run defense and tackling, though his pass rush wasn't top-notch.
Bryce Young's grade made no sense
Was Bryce Young good on Monday night? Not really, but the box score was more unforgiving than it should've been. The first interception was bad, but the second was the result of an egregious defensive hold that strangely went uncalled. He checked down a lot, but the PFF grades for the pass-catchers prove that they weren't really open to begin with. He was not great, but 40.3 is far too harsh.
Derrick Brown posted a dud
Derrick Brown had an early pressure before essentially fading out of the contest. A 58.0 grade isn't abysmal, but it's pretty terrible for Brown's standards. He was astonishingly bad in run defense (32.1), but made up for it with good tackling and even better pass rushing.
Pass-catchers were nowhere to be found
Watching the game, you'd think the San Francisco 49ers had resurrected the Legion of Boom or something. No one was ever open, save for essentially one nice route for a touchdown by Tetairoa McMillan, who recorded a 55.5 grade. Xavier Legette (49.5), Mitchell Evans (team-low 40.0), Ja'Tavion Sanders (57.5), Tommy Tremble (61.9), and Jalen Coker (62.6) were all bad. Jimmy Horn Jr. led the group in 10 snaps with a 67.6 grade.
Interior D-line struggled
As rough as Brown performed, the rest of the interior defensive line was not any better. The bottom three Panthers on defense were LaBryan Ray (44.0), Tershawn Wharton, and A'Shawn Robinson (both 44.7). Bobby Brown was pretty solid with a 64.1, but that's as good as it really got.
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