There have been jokes made that the “Play 60” child who challenged Cam Newton in a popular commercial grew up to be Kyle Allen. Honestly, it might as well have been. Allen has made Panthers' fans forget about their one-time franchise quarterback — and rightfully so.
Newton has been placed on IR and will not return this season. Carolina has the option of getting rid of Newton after the season to free up cap space. Fans should be saying good riddance. Aside from one magical season that ended with a Super Bowl loss, the Panthers accomplishments are minuscule. They finished above .500 three times in eight seasons with Newton under center. Over the last few seasons, Newton has turned into a sideshow where he has been making more noise off the field than on.
Enter Allen who has gone 5-1 this season as the starter and will now take on the Green Bay Packers.
Let's dive in and take a look at three bold predictions for Allen against the Packers.
3. High Pressure Situation
The Packers came into this season knowing that they had to improve their pass rush. They added a pair of Smith's in free agency and they have made an immediate impact. Preston and Za'Darius Smith have combined for 16.5 sacks this season. The Packers are middle of the pack with 22 total on the season.
That does not bode well for a young quarterback heading to Lambeau. The Panthers have allowed 26 sacks this season, which is ninth most in the NFL. They could be in for more when they take on the Packers.
2. Turnover Happy?
Allen impressed the NFL audience immediately when he did not throw an interception over his first four games started this season. He threw seven touchdowns and did not throw the ball to the other team on his way to four wins. Over the past two games, Allen has throw two touchdowns compared to four interceptions. Is he starting to come back down to Earth and get turnover happy?
This game will go a long way in answering this question. The Packers' defense is improved, but they are still far from perfect. Allen has a great chance in this game to limit the turnovers and gain back some confidence under center. Allen will prove that he is capable of holding onto the ball in this game and that the first four were not a fluke.
1. The Rookie Earns Rodgers Respect
Whenever a young player in any sport goes up against a future Hall of Famer, it is seen as a passing of the torch. Just look at the two matchups between the Kansas City Chiefs and New England Patriots last season. This is a much smaller scale considering Allen is not Patrick Mahomes, but it is still a chance for him to go toe-to-toe with one of the all-time greats.
Aaron Rodgers has been great in the NFL for a long time now and he still has a lot to offer. If Allen can go in and play a close game and not implode, there is a guarantee that Rodgers will notice. This may seem meaningless to some, but getting any praise or kind words from Rodgers can boost any young quarterback's confidence moving forward.
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