Subscribe
Follow Us
The Carolina Panthers have had two really close back-to-back games to start their year.
After losing a close one to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 1, they barely dropped a game that came down to the wire against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
No matter how close they got to sneak out a win in either week though, the reality is that they are 0-2 Week 3. Even worse, they need to try to beat the Arizona Cardinals without Cam Newton under center.
So how will they do it if they pull out a win? Here are four reasons why the Panthers will beat the Buccaneers in Week 3.
1。Christian McCaffrey
he Panthers might not have Newton, but they do have one of the most dynamic players in the NFL.
Christian McCaffrey is an absolute terror to opposing defenses. He recorded over 1,000 rushing yards last year while breaking the record for receptions by a running back (107).
The great thing about him is that his game won't change much no matter who the quarterback is. McCaffrey can still run the ball and will still be going out for those short passes.
That means that new quarterback Kyle Allen will have a very reliable target that he can hammer the ball to should he need. In fact, even if it isn't completely necessary, it's never a bad idea to try and get the ball into McCaffrey's hands.
The Cardinals don't exactly have an elite defense. It's going to be hard for them to find someone who can shutdown McCaffrey. The Panthers need to realize that and game plan for a heavy dose of their running back in Week 3.
2。Going Against a Rookie Quarterback
Yes, Kyler Murray was the number one overall pick this year. Yes, the Panthers have an inexperienced quarterback as well. However, they have the advantage here.
Carolina has a pretty solid defense. It's led by the stud that is linebacker Luke Kuechly. They also have Dontari Poe, Kawann Short and Gerald McCoy.
They can create a lot of problems for a quarterback. Yes, Murray can run very well and has shown great talent with his arm so far. However, he's just two games into his NFL career.
The Panthers defense needs to attack him heavily. Get him uncomfortable. Once that happens, you pounce. Kuechly can fly all over the field while the defensive line can rush the QB.
Give Murray no time to process anything and he could slip up. Will he be a great quarterback in the NFL someday, absolutely. For now though, he's a rookie who is going to have some mistakes while learning. The Panthers defense can bring the pressure to cause those rookie mistakes to come out.
3。Greg Olsen
Christian McCaffrey isn't the only great security blanket on the team. Greg Olsen is questionable at the moment, but if he plays, he should be a major factor.
The tight end is looking like his old self so far this year after two straight injury-plagued and down years in 2017 and 2018.
In 2017, Olsen had just 17 receptions for 191 yards and one touchdown in seven games. He followed that up with 27 receptions for 291 yards and four touchdowns in nine games.
Now through two weeks, Olsen has 10 receptions for 146 yards already. He's on-pace to once again be one of the most consistent and trustworthy tight ends in the NFL.
Olsen is the perfect security blanket for a young and unproven quarterback. He'll get open on short-medium routes and has very sure hands. This will give Allen another target he can consistently go to without worrying about his receivers making mistakes. This limits the number of issues he should have.
Don't forget though, Olsen's already dynamic and a mismatch problem. The Cardinals could have big trouble getting someone to cover him perfectly too. That means he could be open quite often and he's shown he can still go for those big plays in 2019.
4。Cardinals Defense
The reason we've talked so much about mismatches is simple. It's not just because the Panthers have serious playmakers, but also because the Cardinals don't have much talent on defense.
Their best player is suspended in cornerback Patrick Peterson. The rest of the secondary isn't all that great. Budda Baker is exciting, but he's not going to be able to do it all by himself and has some issues from time to time.
Meanwhile, the pass rush isn't spectacular by any means and the entire team lacks star power with Peterson out.
At the moment, the team has just five sacks and one fumble recovery, no interceptions. At 485.5 yards per game, they've allowed the second-most in the NFL (ahead of only the hapless Miami Dolphins).
This isn't a defense that you need to fear, even when you're coming in with a young and inexperienced quarterback. McCaffrey and company should still be able to run all over the place.
