CHARLOTTE — Turnovers are contagious, and the Carolina Panthers, through the first two games at least, have caught the bug. The Panthers lead the NFL in takeaways with six total and are tied for first with a plus-three turnover differential.
On paper it's not shocking. Carolina boasts two corners — Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson — who finished with the most passes defensed as a team duo last season, and each had five interceptions by the end of the year (including playoffs).
There's only one thing: not a problem, per se, or rather, depending on who you ask. Neither Horn nor Jackson has one of those six takeaways. There have been three fumble recoveries, but those are more a matter of being in the right place at the right time. But the three interceptions pulled in by Carolina players thus far this season? All by linebackers, including two by Devin Lloyd last week.
"Me and Mike were joking (with Devin) now that you're here, he done take all the interceptions," Horn laughed on Thursday. "So we're both still sitting at 0, so we're trying to get on the board. But we also — it's nice to have a linebacker that makes our job a little easier. So it's good either way."
Lloyd and Bobby Okereke both nabbed an interception on Sunday in the 34-3 Week 2 win over the Falcons. Lloyd actually finished with two, including a pick-six, all part of a game that has teammates still baffled days later.
"I ain't never seen a game like that by any defensive player ever," bragged Jackson of his teammates' stat line that included nine tackles, two for loss, two interceptions, three passes defensed, a pick-six, and a sack. "So like that, you can't even do that on a video game. So that was dope."
Lloyd's first interception, though, left Jackson at least a little bitter, and playing catch-up, for that matter. Jackson was defending Falcons receiver Jahan Dotson when he realized QB Cooper Rush was targeting Kyle Pitts over the middle. So Jackson, reading the ball in a way he does best, peeled off Dotson and floated into the path of the ball so he could make the pick.
But Lloyd stuck his hand up to literally intercept the ball on its flight path, and returned it 53 yards.
Jackson might have thought it was part and parcel of the greatest defensive game he's ever seen from a guy, but his first message to Lloyd after the game was very specific.
"(I told him) he stole my pick," joked Jackson (though he was also completely serious). "The one-hander, like I had an opp! But hey man, he went and got it, and then when he did with it afterward, I'm cool with that."
After Lloyd first got the pass, Jackson thought his teammate would go out of bounds. But when the linebacker threw a serious stiff arm and bought some open space, Jackson realized he needed to catch up.
"You're gonna see on film like, he got the one-hander and then he stiff-armed a dude," recalled Jackson. "I'm like, 'Oh, he's going to go out of bounds,' and when he cut back I'm like, 'Oh shit, I got to go block for him."
Lloyd's second interception was a by-product of being heads-up when Horn broke up a pass on Jack Strand's first play at quarterback, intended for Dotson. Sacks will split stats to give both players credit on a play. Interceptions don't work that way, much to Horn's (not actually upset) dismay.
"No, I don't think it works that way," he said, smiling, before adding, "I don't even know if I get the PBU from that. At least it turned into 6 points for us, so I'm good with that."
For what it's worth, Horn did in fact receive credit on the stat sheet for the pass break-up on that play.
Lloyd has not participated in practice the last two days, nursing a calf injury that popped up after the game. But this revamped Panthers linebacker corps also features Okereke, who forced a fumble in Week 1, grabbed an interception versus Atlanta, and almost had a second one before it was ruled an incomplete pass.
Tyrel Dodson, who could play in place of Lloyd if needed, is in his seventh year in the league. He has four interceptions at the linebacker spot, all coming in the last two years at Miami.
Turnovers are contagious, and regardless of who is at the linebacker position on Sunday, Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson are ready to get in on the action.
Check out the best shots of Thursday's practice as the Panthers' prepare for their Week 3 matchup against the Cleveland Browns.
Tackle Stone Forsythe is seen during Carolina Panthers practice on Thursday, Sep. 24, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Defensive tackle Parker Petersen is seen during Carolina Panthers practice on Thursday, Sep. 24, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Defensive tackle Anthony Goodlow is seen during Carolina Panthers practice on Thursday, Sep. 24, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Wide reciever Ihmir Smith-Marsette is seen during Carolina Panthers practice on Thursday, Sep. 24, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Wide receiver John Metchie III is seen during Carolina Panthers practice on Thursday, Sep. 24, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan #4 is seen during Carolina Panthers practice on Thursday, Sep. 24, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Cornerback Mike Jackson is seen during Carolina Panthers practice on Thursday, Sep. 24, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Wide receiver David Moore is seen during Carolina Panthers practice on Thursday, Sep. 24, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Defensive tackle Derrick Brown is seen during Carolina Panthers practice on Thursday, Sep. 24, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Outside linebacker Thomas Incoom is seen during Carolina Panthers practice on Thursday, Sep. 24, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Defensive tackle Derrick Brown is seen during Carolina Panthers practice on Thursday, Sep. 24, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Quarterback Haynes King is seen during Carolina Panthers practice on Thursday, Sep. 24, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Quarterback Kenny Pickett and running back Anthony Tyus III are seen during Carolina Panthers practice on Thursday, Sep. 24, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Carolina Panthers practice on Thursday, Sep. 24, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Running back AJ Dillon #28 is seen during Carolina Panthers practice on Thursday, Sep. 24, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Safety Tre'von Moehrig is seen during Carolina Panthers practice on Thursday, Sep. 24, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Head coach Dave Canales is seen during Carolina Panthers practice on Thursday, Sep. 24, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Cornerback Jaycee Horn and cornerback Will Lee III are seen during Carolina Panthers practice on Thursday, Sep. 24, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Defensive tackle Parker Petersen is seen during Carolina Panthers practice on Thursday, Sep. 24, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Quarterback Haynes King is seen during Carolina Panthers practice on Thursday, Sep. 24, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Wide receiver David Moore is seen during Carolina Panthers practice on Thursday, Sep. 24, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Cornerback Will Lee III #24 is seen during Carolina Panthers practice on Thursday, Sep. 24, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Tackle Stone Forsythe is seen during Carolina Panthers practice on Thursday, Sep. 24, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Quarterback Haynes King is seen during Carolina Panthers practice on Thursday, Sep. 24, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Safety Isaiah Simmons is seen during Carolina Panthers practice on Thursday, Sep. 24, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Tackle Albert Reese IV is seen during Carolina Panthers practice on Thursday, Sep. 24, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Quarterback Haynes King and Will Harriger are seen during Carolina Panthers practice on Thursday, Sep. 24, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Quarterback Bryce Young is seen during Carolina Panthers practice on Thursday, Sep. 24, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Tight end Mitchell Evans is seen during Carolina Panthers practice on Thursday, Sep. 24, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Outside linebacker Patrick Jones II is seen during Carolina Panthers practice on Thursday, Sep. 24, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Cornerback Zion Childress, safety Zakee Wheatley and Wide receiver David Moore are seen during Carolina Panthers practice on Thursday, Sep. 24, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Offensive coordinator Brad Idzik and running back Chuba Hubbard are seen during Carolina Panthers practice on Thursday, Sep. 24, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Kicker Ryan Fitzgerald is seen during Carolina Panthers practice on Thursday, Sep. 24, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Quarterback Bryce Young is seen during Carolina Panthers practice on Thursday, Sep. 24, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan #4 is seen during Carolina Panthers practice on Thursday, Sep. 24, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan #4 is seen during Carolina Panthers practice on Thursday, Sep. 24, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Defensive tackle Derrick Brown is seen during Carolina Panthers practice on Thursday, Sep. 24, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Running back Anthony Tyus III #34 is seen during Carolina Panthers practice on Thursday, Sep. 24, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
