Luke Kuechly, Linebacker

The Panthers entered the game against the Browns with just one takeaway over the previous four weeks. But they registered two takeaways on Sunday, as linebacker Thomas Davis recovered a pair of fumbles.

It was fellow linebacker Luke Kuechly who forced both fumbles, though, with the first leading to a TD that gave Carolina a 14-7 lead in the second quarter. The second fumble didn’t lead to any points because of a delay of game penalty that backed the Panthers out of field goal range, but it was a huge play nonetheless.

With that said, Kuechly’s most impressive play may have come in the final quarter. Browns wide receiver Jarvis Landry took a handoff on third-and-2 and raced downfield. It appeared he was going to score a 50-plus yard TD, but Kuechly was able to chase him down from behind at the Carolina 4-yard line. Cleveland scored on the next play, but the hustle displayed by the Panthers’ seventh-year linebacker definitely didn’t go unnoticed.

A lot can be said of the Panthers’ defense, which has underperformed most of the season. But Kuechly has continued to play at a high level. He finished with a team-high 11 tackles (6 solo) against the Browns, including one tackle for loss. And he’s well on his way to his sixth straight Pro Bowl as he currently leads all NFL inside linebackers in Pro Bowl voting.

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