'Grateful' Foreman shines again in post-CMC role

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The toughest happening Carolina Panthers moving backmost D'Onta Foreman did connected a rainy Thursday nighttime successful which helium rushed 31 times for 130 yards successful a 25-15 triumph against the Atlanta Falcons was leap into the stands aft his third-quarter touchdown.

"They helped maine up there," Foreman said of the Carolina fans astatine Bank of America Stadium being deluged by Tropical Storm Nicole. "It was benignant of a precocious jump. I didn't expect it to beryllium that high. It was chill though. It was thing I ever wanted to do."

Once Foreman, who is 6-3, 235 pounds, scaled the 6-foot-10 wall, helium faced different obstacle.

"The lone happening I seen was idiosyncratic had a portion oregon a brew oregon something, and it started bursting everywhere," Foreman said. "But I didn't adjacent care. I was conscionable excited. I was successful the moment."

The Carolina moving crippled has been bursting everyplace since prima backmost Christian McCaffrey was traded to the San Francisco 49ers aft Week 6.

Led by Foreman, who has topped 118 yards rushing 3 times successful the past 4 games, the Panthers person averaged 159.5 yards connected the crushed since moving connected from McCaffrey. That's the sixth-best rushing onslaught successful the NFL.

The squad averaged lone 90.3 yards rushing, 26th-best successful the NFL, during the archetypal six games with McCaffrey getting the bulk of the carries.

The committedness to the tally has helped Carolina triumph 2 of its past 4 games to amended to 3-7 and stay applicable successful the NFC South, which is led by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers astatine 4-5.

Foreman has benefited the astir since the trade. He had lone 12 carries for 35 yards the archetypal six games. He has 79 carries for 389 yards and 4 touchdowns the past 4 games.

The lone crippled successful which helium didn't get 100 yards was Sunday's 42-21 nonaccomplishment to Cincinnati successful which the Panthers fundamentally abandoned the tally down 35-0 astatine halftime. He carried the archetypal 4 plays connected Thursday and finished with a career-high successful carries.

"I'm precise grateful for this opportunity," said Foreman, who wondered if his shot vocation was implicit past play earlier the Tennessee Titans signed him erstwhile prima Derrick Henry suffered a ft wounded successful aboriginal November.

He responded with 566 yards connected 133 carries successful 9 games for the Titans. He besides scored 3 times, and erstwhile attempted to leap into the stands.

"But I didn't get each the mode in," Foreman said with a laugh. "So this clip I had to get each the mode successful the stands."

Despite playing connected a abbreviated week, Foreman's 31 rushes were the astir by a Carolina subordinate since Nick Goings had 33 successful Week 16 of 2004.

His 3 100-yard games successful 4 weeks equals the full Carolina backs had successful their erstwhile 46 games. McCaffrey had 2 and Chuba Hubbard one.

Foreman was truthful effectual against the Falcons that backmost PJ Walker threw for lone 108 yards connected 10-of-16 passing. The team's 101 passing yards (including sacks) was its fewest successful a triumph since 2009.

Walker said Foreman made his occupation easy. Interim manager Steve Wilks called Foreman's effort "very impressive."

Foreman gave each the recognition to his violative enactment that has responded good to Wilks committing to the tally much than erstwhile manager Matt Rhule did during a 1-4 start.

"The mode they're creating those holes and moving those guys I conscionable payment from the hard enactment they enactment in," helium said.

The enactment was blocking truthful good that Foreman already had his touchdown solemnisation planned a mates of plays earlier his 12-yard scoring tally that made it 19-9.

"I conscionable benignant of had it planned retired already," helium said. "It's similar we ran duo first, and I'm similar if I popular it I'm going into the stands. Then the play aft that I got the shot again and I was like, 'If I get this, I'm going into the stands.'"

He conscionable didn't number connected the partition being truthful tall.