For all the attention on Bryce Young’s rematch with a New Orleans Saints defense that has made his life miserable for two straight seasons, the Carolina Panthers' real counterpunch may come from somewhere far less discussed and far more prepared for the moment.
The Saints will be leaning on 26-year-old rookie quarterback Tyler Shough, who plays with the control of someone a decade older. But the Panthers have their own steadying force hiding in plain sight: A’Shawn Robinson, the 10-year interior defensive disruptor who’s become the quiet engine behind Carolina’s revival.
In a game where matchups will determine the NFC South lead, Robinson may be the closest thing the Panthers have to their own Shough-like equalizer, a presence whose experience and dependability completely changes the equation.