Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Bobby Brown III (97) waits his turn for a drill

The Carolina Panthers came into Sunday with a very thin defensive line. After losing Tershawn Wharton to injury and LaBryan Ray to retirement, the Panthers suddenly had a big need up front.

And on Sunday, with Cam Jackson a healthy scratch, disaster struck in the first quarter. The Panthers lost Bobby Brown after a huge play.

Bobby Brown has to be helped off the field. Was holding his lower back.

It appeared that Brown simply tweaked his back and was able to walk off under his own power. However, he was on the report this week with a back injury, so it's not good news, and it may be a disaster for this Panthers' front.

Then, Derrick Brown also came up hurt. The star defensive tackle returned to the bench, but then he had to leave and go into the medical tent. That would be a true disaster.

Derrick Brown shaken up on last play. Initially went to the bench until a trainer came and got him, now heading to the tent.

UPDATE: Derrick Brown and Bobby Brown both returned to the game, so crisis averted.

This was the latest in a disastrous string of events. After everything went right for the Panthers, they wasted good field position thanks to a Xavier Legette drop and a Monroe Freeling fail in pass protection.

The punt was awful, negating any potential field position advantage there. Then, Will Lee got beat by Rome Odunze and ended up getting dunked on, essentially. The 47-yard gain was the final play for Brown, and the Bears ran it in shortly thereafter.

The Panthers have been totally unable to stop the run, and that starts up front. Being down bodies already is not ideal, and potentially losing Brown for the remainder is a huge loss. They've struggled in pass defense, too, but Brown has less to do with that.

What started as a dream quickly turned to a nightmare. Both sides of the ball have struggled since a hot start, and losing Brown will not do anything to help that. Without Brown, the Panthers gave up a two-play touchdown drive to fall into an even bigger hole.

Rookies and other young players, like Aaron Hall and Lee Hunter, will have to step up in Brown's absence. Newcomer Te-Rah Edwards, who arrived in a trade on the final day before roster cuts, will also play a big role in Brown's absence.

It does call into question the healthy scratch of Cam Jackson, but that's a moot point now. Brown, barring a surprise diagnosis, shouldn't miss much time with what is surely just a tweaked back. But if he does, then the Panthers may have to dip into the trade market or visit the free agency stock they've raided for Bobby Okereke and Darren Waller.

If so, it could be a long season, and it's not even halftime of the first game of the year.