In their NFL season opener yesterday, the Carolina Panthers swabbed the deck with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Panthers Quarterback Derek Anderson threw for 230 yards and two touchdowns. He was standing in for Cam Newton, who was benched with a pre-season rib injury.
But the 20-to-14 victory didn't come easy. The Panthers shut Tampa out for the first three quarters. But when Coach Ron Rivera addressed his team in the locker room after the game, he scolded them for letting the Bucs sneak in two late touchdowns.
“We didn't play to our abilities and we can be so much better,” Rivera said.
“But I'm proud of the way you persevered. I'm proud of the way you guys played. And a lot of good things we will grow on, and we will get better at.”
The Panthers will take on the Detroit Lions next week.