The Panthers Beat the Texans in Preseason, But Here's What Actually Matters

The Carolina Panthers won another preseason game on Friday night. That wraps the preseason with a 3-1 record heading into Week 1. That typically doesn't mean anything. Both the Cleveland Browns and Detroit Lions, who went winless in the regular season at one point, went unbeaten in the preseason those years.

So, what are these games good for? They're learning opportunities, even when the starters and a bunch of immediate backups don't play. And on Friday night, despite the game not mattering at all, there are some things that do matter.

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The Panthers can lean on their defense

Carolina Panthers linebacker Cam Gill (49) reaches for a fumble against Houston Texans running back Deuce Vaughn | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The starters and some of the backups didn't play, but the defense was ferocious. If this is the type of depth the Panthers are working with, they're in great shape. They have ample pass rushers coming off the bench, and the secondary might not be in as bad shape as we previously thought. Even the linebackers looked solid.

Feleipe Franks is making the team

Feleipe Franks always had a decent shot at making the final 53 because of his special teams work. He's great in that phase. On Friday night, though, he showcased some of what we've seen in camp: an offensive presence, too. He made some nice plays, especially creating yards after the catch.

The interior offensive line has to stay healthy

Having Damien Lewis and Robert Hunt in the lineup makes a world of difference, as we saw last week. Without them, pressure up the middle was a problem at times, and the running game, especially with the "starters" for this game in, was lackluster, too. The backup situation behind Hunt and Lewis is not ideal.

Jimmy Horn Jr. can be a real weapon

The Panthers obviously want to get Jimmy Horn Jr. involved, and he showed why they should. He was once again a threat in the passing game and the running game, taking an end-around for a nice gain, a screen for a huge gain (called back for a penalty) and a couple of other nice plays. It was a glimpse of how impactful he can be in limited usage.

The Panthers have a tough decision at wide receiver

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Ja'seem Reed (86) makes a catch during training camp | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Aside from John Metchie, whose fate may honestly be sealed now, all the roster-hopeful wide receivers played pretty well in the preseason finale. The Panthers may keep six or seven on the final roster, but the decision is not going to be easy with several deserving candidates.

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