Rookie wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin is a go-to receiver regardless of who's throwing to him. Little-known running back Fozzy Whittaker deserves a roster spot. Backup quarterbacks that have barely slept in 24 hours while becoming a first-time father probably should be given the night off even if the starter is hampered by fractured ribs. Kudos to quarterback Derek Anderson for scrambling to the Steel City hours after his wife gave birth to a daughter, Amelia.
Oh, and defense wins games even when your best players are spectators.
These are a few of the things learned Thursday night in the Carolina Panthers' 10-0 victory at Pittsburgh.
Here are some other thoughts on the Panthers’ (2-2) final preseason game:
Nice tune-up for Benjamin: With every play it becomes more apparent that teams choosing to single-cover Benjamin on the outside are going to pay on inside slants. At 6-foot-4 and 240 pounds, he is almost unstoppable. Benjamin finished with four catches for 56 yards in just over a quarter, a sample of the kind of production expected -- and needed -- out of him as Carolina replaces its top four receivers.
The Fozz: Whittaker became a workhorse with starters DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart given the night off. He finished the game with 91 yards on 23 carries and ended the preseason as Carolina's leading rusher.
Anderson survives: The last thing Carolina wanted to see with starting quarterback Cam Newton (rib) sidelined was Anderson getting hurt, but he left in the second quarter holding his right hand. X-rays were negative. As much as the Panthers like third-stringer Joe Webb, they don't want to go into the opener with him as the backup.
Riverboat lives: Coach Ron Rivera set the tone for last season's turnaround with a couple of fourth-down gambles against Minnesota in the fifth game. He showed faith in his rebuilt offensive line in the first series of this one, with fullback Mike Tolbert getting the first down. It wasn't pretty, but this unit needs that kind of confidence.
Riverboat in reverse: With NFL defensive player of the year Luke Kuechly and fellow linebacker Thomas Davis given the night off, and with ends Greg Hardy (shoulder) and Charles Johnson (hamstring) sitting out for precautionary reasons, Carolina still managed to stuff Pittsburgh on a first-quarter, fourth-and-1 attempt en route to a shutout. It's that depth that gives Carolina one of the best front sevens in the NFL.
Philly in Pittsburgh: The good news is Carolina appears to have settled on Philly Brown, an undrafted rookie wide receiver out of Ohio State, as its kick returner. The bad news is he also dropped a punt -- again. He also caught a nice deep pass -- and fell down before he could score. He's a less refined version of Ted Ginn Jr.
What's next? Newton, who already says he'll start in the Sept. 7 opener at Tampa Bay, will be re-evaluated on Saturday during a brief walk-thru. If he's improved the last two days the way he did the first four he should be ready to practice with little to no limitations Monday.