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One Carolina Panther Who Must Step Up in Week 2 Against Falcons
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- One Carolina Panther Who Must Step Up in Week 2 Against Falcons
The Carolina Panthers face a big Week 2 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons .
It may seem crazy to say a Week 2 game is very important, but in this case, it's true. The Panthers suffered a horrible Week 1 loss to the Chicago Bears , and with such a tough schedule, they cannot afford to lose these divisional games.
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The Panthers ' offense played well enough to win in Week 1. They scored 37 points, and Bryce Young looked much better than he has in previous seasons. However, the defense was gashed and allowed over 500 yards and 59 points.
The Panthers got some bad news this week as it was revealed that starting defensive lineman Bobby Brown III would be out in Week 2. Brown had the highest PFF grade of any Panthers defender in Week 1, so his loss will be hard to navigate.
The thing is, the Panthers might actually have a great option on the roster who's ready to step in for Brown.
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Cam Jackson Needs to Show Up in Week 2
Aug 4, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Cam Jackson (99) during training camp at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
Cam Jackson has had a weird month. The second-year player was listed as a starter on several depth charts over the summer. Ahead of the roster cutdown, Jackson was seen as a lock to make the team and a lock to contribute.
But then, Jackson ended up being a healthy scratch in Week 1. The team opted to roll with rookie Lee Hunter and undrafted free agent Aaron Hall instead. Hall played well, but Hunter didn't have a chance to do much.
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Now, with Brown out, it will be up to the two rookies and Jackson to pick up the slack. Jackson, in particular, has a great opportunity because this line isn't deep, and Jackson showed enough this summer to earn first-team reps.
After Brown was ruled out, head coach Dave Canales took the opportunity to praise Jackson.
"He's ginormous," Canales said of Jackson. "He's a pocket pusher in terms of pass rush, and in the run game, he's stout, he's hard to move, and has great length."
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In 2025, as a rookie, Jackson played in nine games and racked up nine tackles. Jackson is a perfect replacement for Brown because of his massive size, and he can fill in as a prototypical nose tackle if he needs to.
"He is our biggest human on the team, and he's a guy that just continues to take the right steps being in this program, being in that room, you know, with the likes of Derrick Brown and watching how they work and all that," Canales added.
Jackson is getting his big shot in Week 2, so let's see if he can make the most of it.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Sep 19, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
