Do the Panthers Have a New Offensive Weapon?
The lack of success in Carolina's wide receiver room has been well-documented. However, they may have identified a new weapon in Ihmir Smith-Marsette whom they traded for back in late August.
It took a while for ISM to really get a chance to prove himself but this past Sunday, he played a key role in the Panthers' 9-7 win over the Atlanta Falcons. Due to the wet and cold conditions, both teams had to be careful putting the ball in the air. Offensive coordinator Thomas Brown made sure to get the ball in the hands of his playmakers and added a wrinkle with Smith-Marsette toting the rock on jet sweeps. He ended the afternoon with 31 yards on four carries, including a 15-yard rush that nearly went for a score.
"I think he has a nice little package for himself and as a player gets a package and begins to grow from that, then maybe you can start expanding it," interim head coach Chris Tabor said Wednesday. "He's a guy that's worked hard to get where he's at. Last year, he was a punt returner and those things but it's nice to see him have other value on offense and he stepped up and he's making plays. He's a good football player."
It's still way too early to tell if this is the new norm for the Panthers receiver or if last week was an anomaly. What the Panthers do know, however, is that Smith-Marsette can make plays with the ball in his hands and with the offense struggling as much as it has, they need to find some ways to keep him involved.
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