Panthers’ Thomas Davis Played 63 Snaps Sunday With Dislocated Finger That Poked Through Skin

Ryan Tannehill, Thomas Davis So maybe the Carolina Panthers are more smashmouth than finesse this year.

While they may not be on the level of the Cardinals’ Rashad Johnson, who lost an actual chunk of his finger in the middle of a game this season, one of their linebackers knows a little bit about crooked digits and playing through pain.

Linebacker Thomas Davis badly dislocated his finger during the first quarter of the Panthers’ game against the Dolphins on Sunday, with the bone breaking through the skin and the wound requiring stiches, coach Ron Rivera told reporters. Thomas still played every snap on defense, though, a total of 63 times he dug in despite the injury.

Davis wasn’t the only Carolina player whose hand wasn’t shipshape Sunday, though. Defensive end Greg Hardy said after the game that he played two and a half quarters with his thumb “torn open.” He had it heavily bandaged after the game.

The Panthers (8-3) are emerging as the pride of the NFC, with much of the credit going to their defense, which has apparently provided a literal interpretation to the idea of breaking through this season.