Sir Purr
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- Mar 16, 2019
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Kyle’s composure
With the No. 1 quarterback sidelined for the immediate future, backup quarterback Kyle Allen's impressive performance in Sunday’s victory was just what the doctor ordered for Carolina.
“I think Kyle’s performance was what we needed," Rivera said. "He came out and played very well and did the things we were hoping he would do. I think what it does is just energize us at a time we needed a little bit of energy.”
After turning the ball over via strip-sack on the team’s opening drive, Rivera said he was impressed, but not surprised, by Allen’s composure, saying it was no different than how the quarterback performed last year in New Orleans.
“The thing about Kyle that’s always impressed me is that he handles those things,” Rivera said. “He’s cool. He’s kind of aloof to things that happen, because he knows he can’t control it, so he always seems to be that guy that goes to the next play. I think that’s one of the good things about him.”
Finding an identity
Early in the season each team forms an identity, and oftentimes that comes to define them throughout the year. Sometimes it doesn’t though, as Rivera cited the team’s 6-2 start last season before its second-half collapse.
“To me it’s about surviving through training camp and then getting things put together as you go into the regular season,” Rivera said. “That’s kind of what’s happening, I think, right now.”
But after an 0-2 start, Rivera and the Panthers knew they needed to find a positive identity for this year’s team sooner rather than later. If Sunday’s result in Arizona is any indicator, the team is headed in the right direction.
“We had a whole new offensive line that was kind of being put together and they really didn’t get an opportunity to work together a lot,” Rivera said. “Now we’ve got a group of guys that have played three games together and feel comfortable about that, and really had an opportunity to have all our skill players on the field at the same time.
“It’s really about, just to me, finding that identity now and building on it as we get through September, and really then hopefully establishing who we are as we go forward.”
Playing a complete game
For the first time this season, Rivera said the Panthers won in all three phases of the game.
“It really came together,” Rivera said. “It’s good to see that it all came together and everybody, all three phases, really pitched in in a victory like that.”
Rivera praised Allen and the offense, which put up 38 points and 413 total net yards, as well as the defense’s monster performance with eight sacks and two interceptions. While the special teams units didn’t end up creating a game-changing play, Rivera saw promise from the punt return unit.
“I thought special teams also did some really good things,” Rivera said. “I just thought it was unfortunate about the (51-yard) punt return. I thought Ray-Ray (McCloud) did a nice job finding his crease and hitting it. That would have really been the cherry on top as far as a complete team victory, but unfortunately, we had it called back.”