Norris Thornburg

A Look Ahead: Bucs

by


Panthers

VS

Buccaneers

Game Time: 9:30 AM

Welcome to the Christian McCaffrey Show. He’s the best running back in the league right now, if not the best overall player. With Allen in at quarterback, the offense runs through McCaffrey. What a performance by CMC, as he had 175 yards rushing, 61 yards receiving and 3 total touchdowns. Kyle Allen struggled with pocket presence and ball security once again, but he helped the team just enough to win. Allen is doing his job as a back up, but it will be a nice change when Newton comes back. Either way, both Allen and Newton need the fans’ support. Now, it’s off to London! Here is a look ahead to the Bucs:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Head Coach

Bruce Arians

Offensive Coordinator 

Byron Leftwich

Defensive Coordinator 

Todd Bowles

Key Acquisitions 

DT Ndamukong Suh

LB Shaq Barrett

S Darian Stewart

Key Losses

DT Gerald McCoy

WR DeSean Jackson

DE Vinny Curry

Key Draft Picks

LB Devin White

Tampa comes to London with a record of 2-3, even though they’ve scored more points than anyone in the division. The Bucs have been up and down all year, as has Jameis Winston. One thing that has remained consistent for the Bucs is their run defense. Tampa Bay has only allowed 349 yards on the ground in five games, which is good enough for third in the league. The Bucs are capable of beating the Panthers, which is evident due to this happening in week two. One difference is, an injured Cam Newton was playing quarterback for Carolina. Linebacker, Shaq Barrett, is having a superb season so far, as he has 9 sacks, 3 forced fumbles and 1 interception so far.

Carolina Panthers

Head Coach

Ron Rivera

Offensive Coordinator

Norv Turner

Defensive Coordinator

Eric Washington

Key Acquisitions

C Matt Paradis

LB Bruce Irvin

CB Javien Elliott

WR Chris Hogan

DT Gerald McCoy

S Tre Boston

Key Losses

WR Chris Hogan (IR with designation to return)

DL Kawann Short (IR)

QB Cam Newton (Foot injury)

LB Thomas Davis

C Ryan Kalil

DE Julius Peppers

Key Draft Picks

DE Brian Burns

OT Greg Little

OT Dennis Daley

2019 Team Stats

Panthers

Buccaneers
14th– 370.0 yds/gm
Total Offense
17th– 359.8 yds/gm
23rd– 226.4 yds/gm
Pass Offense
12th– 250.4 yds/gm
4th– 143.6 yds/gm
Rush Offense
19th– 109.4 yds/gm
10th– 25.8 ppg
Scoring Offense
5th– 29.4 ppg
8th– 331.4 yds/gm
Total Defense
26th– 393.4 yds/gm
4th– 197.0 yds/gm
Pass Defense
32nd– 323.6 yds/gm
24th– 134.4 yds/gm
Rush Defense
2nd– 69.8 yds/gm
11th– 21.4 ppg
Points Allowed
29th– 29.6 ppg

Things to Watch

Carolina Panthers

Kyle Allen is doing his job as a backup quarterback, as he isn’t doing anything to lose the games. His fumbling is still an issue, as he had two more last Sunday. He needs to get better pocket presence, but that comes with time. This Sunday, in jolly ole London, Kyle will likely be throwing a lot more. Tampa Bay’s pass defense is ranked dead last, and Carolina would be wise to get Allen going. The offensive line played well last week with Dennis Daley at left tackle, so hopefully they can keep Suh and Barrett at bay and protect Allen.

Christian McCaffrey is having a historic season so far, as he leads the league in all purpose yards and is on pace to smash the record set by Chris Johnson in 2009. Whether or not he can keep it up, is yet to be seen. Look for Carolina to try to get him going early, even though Tampa’s rush defense ranks second in the league, and they only allowed CMC to get 37 yards in their last meeting. Hopefully, he can break a few long runs, as he’s done several times this season, to keep the defense honest. McCaffrey will be used heavily in the passing game due to the Buc’s porous pass defense. Look for Carolina to give Reggie Bonnafon a few carries on the heels of his successful game last week.

DJ Moore is on pace to have 1,100 yards receiving this year, and looks to capitalize on the Buc’s 32nd ranked pass defense. Moore seems to be coming into his own and is showing fans why he was a first round pick. He made a nice leaping catch last week, where he went up and plucked it out of the sky with ease for a 52 yard gain. Curtis Samuel will also get plenty of looks in the Carolina offense this Sunday. He was used in the running game for a couple of plays last week, but was relatively quiet. This was due to Christian McCaffrey’s amazing day. Greg Olsen was held without a catch last week, even though he was open on several plays. He gives Allen a big target in the red zone, and he will be used this Sunday in London.

The Carolina defense had a few hiccups Sunday, as they allowed Gardner Minshew to throw for 375 yards. With Donte Jackson likely returning to the lineup, that will help tremendously in coverage. They will have a huge test again Sunday, as Mike Evans and Chris Godwin will get a lot of looks. This is a revenge game for the team and they’ll be looking to stop Chris Godwin this time around. With Tampa’s right tackle and right guard likely out with injury, Carolina should get good pressure and keep Winston on his back. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention defensive lineman, Efe Obada, who heads back home to London. Expect to see more of him this Sunday, so he can play in front of his home crowd, which should give him more motivation. #Keep£ing

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Jameis Winston is having a relatively good season, as he has 1,371 yards, 11 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. That’s good enough for a 97.2 QB Rating. That’s a little misleading, considering that in the last 4 games he hasn’t had less than a 103.4. Winston has developed a rapport with wide receiver Chris Godwin, and it has translated to the field. In week two, Winston had 208 yards and a touchdown against Carolina. Carolina has a very different defense than they did in week two. Look for Winston to struggle against Carolina’s pass rush. Especially on the right side, as both his right guard and right tackle are expected to miss the game.

In the week two battle, Peyton Barber has 82 yards rushing and 1 touchdown. Barber will look to have an even more successful day against a Panthers defense that ranks 24th against the run. If Carolina doesn’t get their run defense in check, Barber could have a field day.

Mike Evans and Chris Godwin are one of the best wide receiver tandems in the league right now. Godwin is having an All Pro season, as he has 511 yards and 6 touchdowns in 5 games. He had 121 yards and a touchdown in the Thursday night debacle. Mike Evans is having a decent season, as he has 368 yards and 4 touchdowns. They’ll look to get going against Carolina Sunday, even though it’ll be tougher than it was in their first meeting.

The Buccaneer defense has been excellent against the run all year. In week two, they held Christian McCaffrey to 37 yards rushing. It’s going to be hard to do that the second time, now that CMC is in the zone. Their pass defense isn’t good, as they rank last in the NFL. They’ll look to hold McCaffrey in check and make Kyle Allen beat them with his arm. Shaq Barrett is playing out of his mind this year. Carolina will have their hands full once again Sunday, although their offensive line seems to be getting better each week, no matter who’s playing. Dennis Daley stepped in at left tackle and played well.

Keys to a Carolina Victory

• Scheme ways to get McCaffrey the ball. The offense runs through CMC and he will be needed on Sunday. Get him the ball early and often.

• Protect Kyle Allen. Sixth round pick, Dennis Daley, stepped in and played well at left tackle while Greg Little is injured. Hopefully, Allen can become a little more comfortable and learn to step into the pocket.

• Protect the ball. No matter who it is, hold that ball tight. No fumbles this week.

• Rush the passer. Carolina needs to get pressure on Winston while not letting him get out of the pocket. Winston is dangerous when scrambling.

• Contain Peyton Barber. Carolina needs to learn how to stop the run.

• Get Greg Olsen going against this porous Bucs’ defense.

Key Matchups

• Donte Jackson VS Chris Godwin

• James Bradberry VS Mike Evans

• Panthers’ Defense VS Buc’s banged up Offensive Line

• Christian McCaffrey VS Buc’s Defense

Injury Report

Both teams come into this game with key injuries, but perhaps the worst injuries are to the Buccaneers offensive line. They’re not as prepared for offensive line injuries as the Panthers are (sounds weird for Carolina to have offensive line depth). Carolina gets Donte Jackson back, and it comes at a good time. Hopefully, Shaq Thompson and Eric Reid are ready to go Sunday. All signs point to them playing.

Prediction

Coach Rivera said that he’s keeping the schedule as normal as possible for Friday and Saturday, so the players can have some continuity in their routine. This will prove to be beneficial, as the players will be well rested and ready to go. This will be a tough game for both teams, but Carolina will find success through the air. Carolina wins on the road, yet again, 27-24. Carolina goes into the bye week with a record of 4-2. #Keep£ing

 

CMC for MVP?

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There are quite a few people out there that think Panthers’ running back, Christian McCaffrey, deserves to be in the conversation for NFL MVP. On one hand, it’s only week six and it’s a little early for that talk. On the other hand, it is fun to think about. After all, there really aren’t many positive things to think about this season, aside from the defense and McCaffrey. Yes, Kyle Allen is doing decent at quarterback, but everyone knows Cam will be back soon.

Back to the topic at hand. Christian McCaffrey is having a really good start to the season, with the exception of the Tampa Bay game. In five weeks, CMC is leading the league in all-purpose yards by over 120. He is currently on pace for 1,878 yards rushing, 893 yards receiving and 22 total touchdowns. That’s a pretty solid stat line for any running back, but is it MVP worthy?

That’s kind of a loaded question, as there are many variables involved. First, the league usually gives the MVP award to the best quarterback in the league. Right now, the only quarterback playing well enough to earn the MVP award, is Patrick Mahomes. Russell Wilson of Seattle is also starting to heat up. In most cases, when a running back has won the MVP award, the quarterbacks in that same year have struggled. For instance, in 2012 when Adrian Peterson won the MVP award, the top 3 quarterbacks were Matt Stafford, Drew Brees and Tony Romo. Stafford threw 17 interceptions and Brees and Romo both threw 19 interceptions. All three quarterbacks struggled to get wins, too.

Speaking of wins, that’s another thing that the league looks at when deciding who deserves the MVP award. Since 2004, of all the teams who had MVPs, their respective records have been at least 12-4. There have been two exceptions, as Matt Ryan’s Falcons won 11 games and Adrian Peterson’s Vikings won 10 games. Bottom line is, every team in the last 20 years that has the MVP, has made the playoffs. With Carolina sitting at 3-2, it’s hard to tell how their record will fall. It’s still early in the season, but the defense and CMC look like they can keep it going, at least until Cam is able to come back and take some pressure off of McCaffrey.

When Adrian Peterson won the MVP award in 2012, he had over 2,000 yards rushing. In the last 20 years, four running backs have won the MVP award. Of those four, they all had either over 2,000 total yards from scrimmage, or 25+ touchdowns. Given McCaffrey’s current pace, it’s not outside the realm of possibility for McCaffrey to have over 2,500 yards from scrimmage. He could also have over 25 total touchdowns, given he has a penchant for getting multiple touchdown games.

Other MVP award winning running backs:

• 2006 Ladanian Tomlinson – 1,815 rushing yards, 508 receiving yards and 22 total touchdowns

• 2005 Shaun Alexander – 1,880 rushing yards, 78 receiving yards and 28 total touchdowns

• 2000 Marshall Faulk – 1,359 rushing yards, 830 receiving yards and 26 touchdowns

If McCaffrey can keep this train going, he is on pace to surpass these four running backs. As a matter of fact, he’s on pace to surpass Chris Johnson’s record of most yards from scrimmage in a season by 262 yards. In 2009, Johnson had 2,509 yards from scrimmage. If McCaffrey does break the yards from scrimmage record, that could help catapult him ahead of everyone in the MVP race. Oh, and McCaffrey has joined NFL Hall of Fame great, Jim Brown, as the only other player to average 175 yards from scrimmage in four of his first five games. The NFL record for most 175 yard games in a season is six, and McCaffrey has the potential to tie that record in week eight.

Christian McCaffrey is one of the most exciting players in the NFL and he’s really fun to watch. There’s little doubt that he will be in the MVP race for the rest of the year, given the pace at which he plays. As a matter of fact, if voting were done today, he should be the odds all favorite to win. The guy exemplifies hard work on and off the field. If CMC keeps this going, it’ll be a historic season for him and the Panthers. With any luck, Carolina will keep pumping out wins while McCaffrey puts the team on his back. Again, it’s far too early to name the MVP, but McCaffrey has been great through the first five weeks. He’s earned the right to be in the conversation. So until it’s time to vote, enjoy the greatness…..because you could be watching history in the making.

A Look Ahead: Jaguars

by


Panthers
VS
Jaguars
Game Time: 1:00
Game Time Temperature: 79 degrees 30% chance of rain

Despite the severe fumblitis by quarterback Kyle Allen, Carolina pulls off their second win of the season. The stout defense of the Panthers carried the team, as they sacked Deshaun Watson six times, intercepted him once, forced a fumble with a recovery and held him to 160 yards passing. Christian McCaffrey had another solid game, as he had 93 yards rushing and 86 yards receiving and one touchdown. Hopefully, the defense keeps this train going and they put a halt to all of this Minshew mania. Here’s a look ahead to the Jaguars:

Jacksonville Jaguars

Head Coach

Doug Marrone

Offensive Coordinator 

John DeFilippo

Defensive Coordinator 

Todd Wash

Key Acquisitions 

QB Nick Foles

TE Geoff Swaim

WR Chris Conley

Key Losses

QB Nick Foles (IR)

RB Carlos Hyde

DT Malik Jackson

S Tashaun Gipson

Key Draft Picks

DE Josh Allen

OT Jawaan Taylor

QB Gardner Minshew

The “Mississippi Mustache” is coming to town and he’s bringing a nation of fans with him. The Jags have a 2-2 record and are in a four-way tie for the AFC South division lead. The Jags are averaging 23 points per game over the last two weeks, both of which they won. Rookie quarterback, Gardner Minshew, has exceeded expectations for the Jaguars and will look to continue against Carolina. Leonard Fournette will look to feast upon Carolina’s 24th ranked rushing defense.

Carolina Panthers

Head Coach

Ron Rivera

Offensive Coordinator

Norv Turner

Defensive Coordinator

Eric Washington

Key Acquisitions

C Matt Paradis

LB Bruce Irvin

CB Javien Elliott

DT Gerald McCoy

S Tre Boston

WR Chris Hogan

Key Losses

WR Chris Hogan (IR with designation to return)

DL Kawann Short (IR)

QB Cam Newton (Foot injury)

LB Thomas Davis

C Ryan Kalil

DE Julius Peppers

Key Draft Picks

DE Brian Burns

OT Greg Little

RB Jordan Scarlett

2019 Team Stats

Panthers

Jaguars
17th– 351.3 yds/gm
Total Offense
14th– 364.0 yds/gm
17th– 243.0 yds/gm
Pass Offense
21st– 228.8 yds/gm
17th– 108.3 yds/gm
Rush Offense
5th– 135.3 yds/gm
11th– 23.8 ppg
Scoring Offense
20th– 21.0 ppg
4th– 287.5 yds/gm
Total Defense
18th– 366.3 yds/gm
1st– 156.8 yds/gm
Pass Defense
22nd– 266.8 yds/gm
24th – 130.8 yds/gm
Rush Defense
13th– 99.5 yds/gm
11th– 20.0 ppg
Points Allowed
12th– 21.0 ppg

Things to Watch

Carolina Panthers

Ok, Kyle….hold onto the ball. Allen did decent as a game manager last week, but he needs to improve his pocket awareness. On two of his lost fumbles, the offensive line did well at pushing the defenders past the pocket, but Allen refused to step into the pocket. With Greg Little starting at left tackle and Daryl Williams playing right guard, the Panthers offensive line looked much improved. Greg Little graded out at 89.5 (per Pro Football Focus) in pass blocking and didn’t allow a single pressure in his first NFL start. That’s great, considering that Carolina had the worst pass blocking team in the NFL prior to last week. Allen will look to improve his ball security and pocket awareness this week at home against the Jags. It will be a tough task against Calais Campbell, who has played lights out this year. Allen will get pressured, so he better shore up that fumblitis. All we can ask is for him to win a couple more games against a weaker stretch of our schedule until Cam Newton comes back.

Christian McCaffrey continues his possible MVP season. He is getting more touches and making the most of them. He is putting the team on his back and being one of the main factors for Carolina’s success. Not only does he lead the league in rushing yards, but he also leads the league in total yards from scrimmage by 105 yards. However, he played 100% of the snaps last week (he touched the ball 37 out of 62 snaps) and it’s concerning that he will be worn down towards the end of the season. Carolina needs to involve Reggie Bonnafon and Jordan Scarlett more this week, especially if the Panthers take an early lead. Yes, McCaffrey wants those touches, but sometimes the coaches have to look long term and save players from themselves (see Newton, Cam).

One thing that Allen does well, is evenly distribute the ball. DJ Moore (261 yards, 1 TD) and Curtis Samuel (208 yards, 1 TD) are almost even through 4 games in terms of yardage and touchdowns. Greg Olsen, who is seventh in yardage among tight ends, has 226 yards and 2 touchdowns. If the offensive line can hold, Kyle Allen will look to get back on track and distribute the ball amongst his weapons. Obviously, Christian McCaffrey will continue to be heavily targeted in the passing game as well. While he doesn’t get talked about much, Jarius Wright deserves some praise. Wright had five catches for 59 yards against Houston. He continues to come through when the team needs him. Wright is a valuable part of this offense and will be looked upon again this week.

Carolina has the number one pass defense in the league, as they’ve allowed only 156.8 yards per game through the air. That’s 25 yards less than the second place, New England. Thieves Avenue is back, but this time, there’s a new number 24 leading the way. James Bradberry is having a career year and is proving to be one of the best young corners in the league. Donte Jackson, who was out last week, had two interceptions against the Cardinals and should be back this week against Jacksonville.

Carolina also has 14 sacks in two games and 18 so far this year, which is tied for first with New England. This feat was accomplished without Kawann Short, which is amazing in itself. The one thing that this defense needs to improve on, is the run defense. They’re 24th against the run, and with Leonard Fournette coming to town, they need to find a way to improve. A lot of this could be attributed to the scheme change. Carolina will look to hold Fournette to under 100 yards this week. One way to do that is to keep the defense off the field, so that they remain fresh. Kyle Allen and the offense needs to sustain long drives. Also, Mario Addison and Shaq Thompson are playing out of their minds. Brian Burns will look to continue his impressive rookie season. Carolina’s defensive front needs to put pressure on the right side of Jacksonville’s offensive line to disrupt Minshew. Carolina has been solid getting pressure on the quarterbacks, as they have 45 pressures on the season.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Gardner Minshew has taken the world by storm, with his outlandish outfits, long hair and swag (sound familiar?). Minshew has 905 yards, 7 touchdowns and 1 interception through four games, which is good enough for a quarterback rating of 106.9. He’s a rookie, so he makes some mistakes. He’s held onto the ball too long and took some sacks. He’s missed some deep routes when under pressure. He’s had open receivers and picked the wrong read. That said, the guy is more polished than any other rookie quarterback right now, and will get his chance to shine this week if he can pick apart the number one pass defense. Minshew will see pressure early and often, so it remains to be seen how he handles it. One more thing to watch: of the 77 points that the offense has scored with Minshew at the helm, 48 of those points (62%) have been in the second half.

Leonard Fournette is having a really good start to his season, as he is third in both rushing yards and total yards from scrimmage. It should be noted, however, that 225 of those rushing yards came last week. Fournette could have another big game this week against a weak run defense.

Jacksonville has a nice core group of receivers. Chris Conley, DJ Chark and speedster Dede Westbrook are a well rounded group, although it looks as if Chark is Minshew’s number one guy. After seeing Houston’s near success on a couple of missed deep passes last week, look for Minshew to try to go deep a few times. The Carolina defense is first against the pass, so it will be a task. Especially if Donte Jackson comes back this week.

Jacksonville’s defense is ranked 18th in total defense, 23rd against the pass and 13th against the run. They have a pretty good pass rush, as they are tied for sixth in sacks with 13. They are also tied for second in quarterback pressures with 53.

Keys to a Carolina Victory

• Protect Kyle Allen. Carolina’s offensive line will get a huge test this week. With Greg Little likely out with another concussion, it may be difficult to hold off the Jacksonville pass rush.
• Get McCaffrey the ball. While it’s not sustainable for CMC to get 35-40 touches per game, it’s imperative to get him the ball that much while Cam is out.
• Defense! Defense! The defense needs to get to Minshew and force him to make mistakes.
• Protect the ball! The ball is your baby. Don’t drop your baby.
• Run defense needs to contain Leonard Fournette, no matter how tough it is.

Key Matchups

• Christian McCaffrey VS Jaguars’ defense

• Gerald McCoy VS Jawaan Taylor

• James Bradberry VS DJ Chark

• Leonard Fournette VS Panthers’ Defense

• Kyle Allen VS Jaguars’ Pass Rush

• Gardner Minshew VS Panthers’ Pass Rush

Injury Report

For the Jaguars, the only impact player that isn’t expected to play is, corner Jalen Ramsey. The Panthers, however, have a lot of impact players that could potentially be out. With Greg Little and Trai Turner likely being out, the offensive line will shift again. Williams will likely be back at left tackle, with Dennis Daley playing right guard. Hopefully something positive happens with Donte Jackson, as it would nice to have him back. Ross Cockrell will fill in again if Jackson can’t go. With any luck, this injury report will shrink significantly by Sunday.

Prediction

First and foremost, I predict that there will be a lot of cheers and tears when the four new members of the Hall of Honor give their speeches. This will be a defensive battle with some success on the ground by both teams. Ultimately, the Panthers’ defense stymies the Jaguars and Carolina wins 21-17.

 

A Look Ahead: Texans

by


Panthers

VS

Texans

Game Time: 1:00

Game Time Temperature: 90 degrees 0% chance of rain

The first win of the season! Man, it feels good! Kyle Allen is slinging touchdowns left and right, McCaffrey is still doing McCaffrey things and the defense looked like they’re starting to come together. Brian Burns looks like the stud that Carolina wanted him to be. However, Arizona was a bad team, so fans should temper expectations just a bit. Carolina is visiting Houston, who will be stiffer competition for Allen and co. Here’s a look ahead to Houston:

Houston Texans

Head Coach

Bill O’Brien

Offensive Coordinator 

Tim Kelly

Defensive Coordinator 

Romeo Crennel

Key Acquisitions 

S Tashaun Gipson Jr.

CB Bradley Roby

S Jahleel Addae

RB Carlos Hyde

RB Duke Johnson

WR Kenny Stills

OT Laremy Tunsil

Key Losses

LB Jadeveon Clowney

RB Lamar Miller (IR)

CB Aaron Colvin

Key Draft Picks

OT Tytus Howard

CB Lonnie Johnson Jr.

Houston has a 2-1 record and are atop of the AFC South Division. They haven’t been overly dominating in their wins, but they have a good quarterback and defense, so they’ll be a tough test. Deshaun Watson is having a decent season, despite a less than stellar offensive line. The Texans still hasn’t gotten their running game going, but they’ll still try to establish a run game early this Sunday. The Houston defense ranks 21st in total defense, 23rd against the pass and 15th against the run.

Carolina Panthers

Head Coach

Ron Rivera

Offensive Coordinator

Norv Turner

Defensive Coordinator

Eric Washington

Key Acquisitions

C Matt Paradis

LB Bruce Irvin

CB Javien Elliott

WR Chris Hogan

DT Gerald McCoy

S Tre Boston

Key Losses

LB Thomas Davis

C Ryan Kalil

DE Julius Peppers

Key Draft Picks

DE Brian Burns

OT Greg Little

RB Jordan Scarlett

2019 Team Stats

Things to Watch

Carolina Panthers

Mr. No Panic, Kyle Allen, will get another start this week while Cam takes his time getting healthy. Allen looked really good against the Cardinals last week, as he had 261 yards and 4 touchdowns. If he gets 2 or more touchdowns and 0 interceptions this week against Houston, he will be the only player in the Super Bowl Era to ever have 2+ touchdowns and no interceptions in their first three NFL starts. Not shabby for a guy that had people questioning whether he was a legitimate backup in the league. Houston will be a much bigger test than Arizona, whose defense was ranked 31st prior to the game last week. Allen will have to get the ball out quick with a makeshift offensive line, as Trai Turner has been ruled out. Daryl Williams filled in well last week when Turner left the game. Greg Little was put in at left tackle and played well. Hopefully, this offensive line continues to get better. 

Christian McCaffrey does what he does, week in and week out. Last week, he had 158 yards on the ground and 35 yards receiving, against a bad Arizona defense. Carolina will continue to feed him the ball early and often. Getting CMC going will help the entire offense and take pressure off of Allen, not that Allen feels pressure. 

Allen distributed the ball around pretty evenly last week, as Samuel, Moore and Olsen all had touchdowns. Moore had the best touchdown, as Allen hit him on a crossing route and he took it 52 yards to the house. Look for a lot of shorter routes so that Allen can get the ball to them quick. All three should be looked for often today, and hopefully Turner has a good game plan.

The defense has gotten better each week. Against Arizona, they contained Murray more times than not, had 8 sacks and 2 interceptions. Brian Burns is looking like a star, as he is on his way to claiming the defensive player of the year. His quickness off the edge is almost unstoppable. The defense gets a healthy Bruce Irvin in the lineup for the first time this week, and hopefully it doesn’t take time away from Burns. The defense will have another tough test this week against Deshaun Watson, and they’ll have to keep him from scrambling. Watson is one of the best young quarterbacks in the league, so they’ll also have to account for his weapons. Hopefully Bradberry is up to the task. He’s played like a top 3 corner so far this season. With any luck, Donte Jackson will be healthy enough to start, as he will need to go step for step with speedster, Kenny Stills. Panthers’ pass rush needs a huge day as well.

Houston Texans

Watson is becoming an elite passer and has scrambling abilities that makes him dangerous on any given play. Watson has some weapons at his disposal, as he has one of the best wide outs in the league in DeAndre Hopkins. He also seems to have a good rapport with speedster Kenny Stills. Watson will look to go after whoever plays for Donte Jackson, if he can’t go. 

Carlos Hyde didn’t do well last week, but he had looked decent in the two games prior. Carolina’s run defense improved a bit last week against David Johnson, but they’re still 25th against the run. Texans will look to get Hyde, and maybe Duke Johnson, going early. 

DeAndre Hopkins is one of the best receivers in the game. He has a test ahead of him, as he is going against James Bradberry. Hopkins may switch sides to exploit a matchup if Jackson is out. (It has been announced that Jackson is OUT) Kenny Stills will be a tough matchup for anyone. 

Houston defense will have their hands full against McCaffrey, Samuel, Moore and Olsen. The key to their success hinges on their ability to rush the passer. Kyle Allen could see a lot of pressure today, as JJ Watt and Co. will be after him all day. Carolina’s offensive line has a tough test ahead of them. 

Keys to a Carolina Victory

• Run, run and run some more. No matter if it’s CMC, Bonnafon or Scarlett.

• Protect Kyle Allen. The line needs to give Allen time to find his target. 

• Allen needs to continue his quick decision making and find the open receivers. 

• Moore and company need to get separation.

• Contain Watson. 

• Bradberry needs to contain Hopkins. Bradberry needs to continue his elite play this week. 

Key Matchups

Christian McCaffrey VS Texans defense

DJ Moore/Curtis Samuel VS Johnathan Joseph/Bradley Roby

DeAndre Hopkins VS James Bradberry

Greg Olsen VS Whitney Mercilus

Injury Report

Carolina Panthers

Houston Texans

Houston comes into this game about as healthy as you can get. Their starters seem to be ready to go. Carolina isn’t as lucky. The Panthers have four starters out this week, two on offense and two on defense. Houston will try and take advantage of Jackson being out, as he is the only player capable of keeping up with Kenny Stills. 

Prediction

This will be a tough test for both teams, but especially for Kyle Allen. Houston’s defense is faster and stronger than he’s use to. However, Carolina has too many weapons for them to cover. The Panthers will win again, on the road, 27-24

A Look Ahead: Cardinals

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It’s only week three, but the season has been a letdown, to say the least. Fans had huge expectations for Carolina coming into this season, and the Panthers haven’t delivered. People are so miserable with the Panthers’ play, that they’ve turned on each other and started blaming Newton’s fashion as the reason they are losing. There are a lot of issues with the team, but Cam Newton’s attire isn’t one of them. Either way, on to week three and Carolina is playing the Arizona Cardinals in Arizona.

Arizona Cardinals

Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator

Kliff Kingsbury

Defensive Coordinator

Vance Joseph

Key Acquisitions

LB Terrell Suggs

WR Michael Crabtree

LB Jordan Hicks

G JR Sweezy

Key Losses

S Tre Boston

DE Marcus Golden

LB Josh Bynes

CB Patrick Peterson (Suspended for the first six games)

Key Draft Picks

QB Kyler Murray

CB Byron Murphy

DE Zach Allen

The Cardinals are searching for their first win of the season, as they have lost one game and tied another. Arizona didn’t have a ton of roster upgrades in the offseason, even though they only won three games in 2018. They did, however, have a solid draft. Quarterback, Kyler Murray, seems to have a ton of talent, and it looks to be translating fairly well at the next level. Corner, Byron Murphy, was one of the top defensive backs in the draft, and the Cardinals got him in the second round. Receiver, Andy Isabella and defensive end, Zach Allen, round out the last four rounds of a very good draft class. Murray, who has looked really good at times, is a mobile guy who can extend the play and make the throws needed. The Cardinals have the weapons around Murray to help his development. Larry Fitzgerald is playing like he’s a 25 year old pro bowl player. The Cardinals also have an electric running back in David Johnson, who is a solid between-the-tackles runner. He’s also heavily involved in the passing game. The Cardinals’ defense has been less than stellar, as they are 31st in total defense.

Carolina Panthers

Head Coach

Ron Rivera

Offensive Coordinator

Norv Turner

Defensive Coordinator

Eric Washington

Key Acquisitions

C Matt Paradis

LB Bruce Irvin

CB Javien Elliott

WR Chris Hogan

DT Gerald McCoy

S Tre Boston

Key Losses

LB Thomas Davis

C Ryan Kalil

DE Julius Peppers

Key Draft Picks

DE Brian Burns

OT Greg Little

RB Jordan Scarlett

What a disappointment. So much talent and nothing to show for it. Good news is, it has only been two weeks. There is plenty of time to get things rolling and win some games. Even though Carolina lost their first two games, they’re still only one game out of first place in the division. The Panthers need to come together to win this Sunday’s game and start a winning streak, like they did in 2013, where they started 0-2 and finished 12-4. With Cam nursing a nagging foot injury, it appears that Kyle Allen will get the start. McCaffrey will be heavily utilized again this week, and hopefully they finally use Jordan Scarlett a little, too. Allen will lean on veteran, Greg Olsen, who had a very good game last week. The defense needs to cover Larry Fitzgerald and Christian Kirk, while also containing David Johnson and keeping tabs on Murray. This will be a tough test for this Carolina defense.

2019 Team Stats

Panthers
Cardinals
18th– 695 yds
Total Offense
12th– 736 yds
18th– 529 yds
Passing Offense
8th– 604 yds
24th– 166 yds
Rushing Offense
27th– 132 yds
16th– 20.5 ppg
Scoring Offense
14th– 22.0 ppg
12th– 638 yds
Total Defense
31st– 917 yds
2nd– 372 yds
Passing Defense
26th– 619 yds
24th– 266 yds
Rushing Defense
27th– 298 yds
23rd– 25.0 ppg
Points Allowed
22nd-25.0 ppg

Things to Watch

Carolina Panthers

This week’s starting quarterback, Kyle Allen, will lean heavily on McCaffrey in the running game, as well as, the passing game. Allen has good arm strength, and showed good decision making skills in the Saints game last year. While it was against mostly backups, Allen seemed to be able to make accurate throws, even under pressure. Coach Rivera has mentioned that one of Allen’s best features is making throws while under duress, and says he has been impressed with Allen’s work ethic. Don’t be surprised if Allen makes some deep throws when the defense (and Carolina’s offensive line) permits. In regards to Carolina’s offensive line, they need to protect Allen. Especially on the left side. Last week, Daryl Williams allowed 3 sacks on Newton and looked to be lost at times. Hopefully the lackluster play by Williams and Paradis is just a case of two guys working themselves back from lower body injuries, and they’ll improve as time passes. If Williams struggles this week, it would be a good idea to play Greg Little, who should be good to go. For a more in-depth anali

Christian McCaffrey is always ready to play, no matter the opponent. He didn’t have a great game against Tampa, but he should have a bounce back week. He will be relied upon in both facets of the game and will share “security blanket” duties with tight end, Greg Olsen, for Kyle Allen. Look for Carolina to use Jordan Scarlett and Reggie Bonnafon some this week, since they will likely be pounding the ball on the ground.

When Allen does pass the ball, Greg Olsen will be targeted quite a bit. DJ Moore and Curtis Samuel will likely get a few looks also. Moore has 16 catches for 165 yards, and will look to build on a solid start to the season. Samuel, who was training camp MVP, started slow but had a good game last week.

The defense has been relatively good this year, especially against the pass, and will look to get better against a rookie quarterback. They’ll have to keep tabs on Kyler Murray, since he is a mobile guy who always keeps his eyes downfield. Arizona has playmakers that can do a lot with the ball in their hands. One of those players is Damiere Byrd, who Panther fans are familiar with. Hopefully the defense will have Kawann Short, who has been on the injury report this week with a shoulder issue. The defense will have to contain David Johnson in the running game and also the passing game. This will be a tough task, but Carolina has the personnel to do it. Carolina’s run defense has been pretty shaky this season, so if they want to win, they’re going to have to clean that up. For a more in depth defensive analysis from Kevin, click here.

Arizona Cardinals

So far this season, Kyler Murray has 657 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception and a QBR of 81.7. Not too shabby for a rookie quarterback who was considered too short to play the position. If Murray wants to get his first win, he’s going to need to limit his mistakes and feed the ball to David Johnson on the ground. Carolina’s defense has been good against the pass, but bad against the run.

David Johnson didn’t have a good game last week, but he could have a bounce back game against Carolina’s porous run defense. In the first two games, Johnson has amassed 96 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns. He also has 7 catches for 55 yards and 1 touchdown. Hopefully Ron Rivera has a plan to contain Johnson.

Future Hall of Famer, Larry Fitzgerald, has been great so far this year, as he has 13 catches for 217 yards and a touchdown. Christian Kirk is also having a solid season so far, as he has 10 catches for 146 yards. Rookie quarterback, Kyler Murray, has used his receivers well and seems to have a good rapport with all of his weapons. Carolina has been good against the pass, so it’ll be interesting to see how these guys fair.

The Cardinals defense has been pretty bad so far this season. They’ll luck out by facing Kyle Allen and a less than stellar offensive line. Although, a healthy Kyle Allen will likely be better than having an injured Cam Newton on the field. The Arizona pass rush needs to pressure Allen and contain McCaffrey in order to win this game. That’s going to be a tough task for this mediocre defense. 

Keys to a Carolina Victory

• Run, run and run some more. No matter if it’s CMC or Scarlett. 

• Protect Kyle Allen. The line needs to give Allen three seconds to find his target. 

• Moore and company need to get separation. 

• Contain Kyler Murray. There’s no doubt that Murray is a threat outside of the pocket, so Carolina will have to keep tabs on him, as well as, Larry Fitzgerald, Christian Kirk, Damiere Byrd and David Johnson. That’s going to be a tough task, but the Panthers have the players capable of doing so. 

• Keep David Johnson from breaking off any long runs. Johnson is one of the best running backs in the league, when you account for his pass catching abilities. He’s a patient runner who waits for the play to develop. Carolina needs to contain him as much as they can. 

Key Matchups

Christian McCaffrey VS Cardinals defensive line

DJ Moore/Curtis Samuel VS Byron Murphy

Larry Fitzgerald VS James Bradberry

Greg Olsen VS Terrell Suggs/Haason Reddick

Injury Report

Carolina Panthers

Cam Newton OUT 

Rashaan Gaulden OUT

Bruce Irvin OUT 

Greg Olsen QUESTIONABLE (Expected to play) 

Kawann Short QUESTIONABLE

Arizona Cardinals

Jonathan Bullard OUT

Arizona comes into this game relatively healthy, with everyone other than Bullard. Carolina still hasn’t seen Bruce Irvin on the field, which isn’t good, considering they were really relying on him to give them extra pass rush. With Irvin out, yet again, Brian Burns will get more opportunities. Burns has been very good when on the field. He only has one sack but he’s been excellent getting pressure on opposing quarterbacks. 

Prediction

Each week, I’ve predicted a Carolina win. I almost feel as if I’ve jinxed the Panthers, but Carolina has the talent to beat Arizona. Carolina will run with ease and keep the ball out of Murray’s hands. The Panthers will finally find their run defense and hold Johnson to less than 80 yards. Kyle Allen will be ready and throw for a solid 225 and a touchdown. Carolina takes the away game, 27-24. Hopefully, Carolina listens to me. Allen, don’t let us down! I’m starting you in FanDuel! Keep Pounding! 

A Look Ahead: Bucs

by

Panthers

VS

Bucs

Game time: 8:20
Game time temperature: 84

Week one didn’t go as planned, but that’s in the past. Some fans have their hands poised on the panic button, but please relax. It’s week two and Carolina has a fairly favorable schedule for the next two weeks, as they play Tampa Bay in week two and Arizona in week three. Here’s a look ahead to the Buccaneers:

Tampa Bay Bucs

Head Coach

Bruce Arians

Offensive Coordinator 

Byron Leftwich

Defensive Coordinator 

Todd Bowles

Key Acquisitions 

DT Ndamukong Suh

LB Shaq Barrett

S Darian Stewart

Key Losses

WR Desean Jackson

DT Gerald McCoy

DE Vinny Curry

Key Draft Picks

LB Devin White

The Bucs didn’t have a whole lot of major turnaround this offseason, which is surprising considering they went 5-11 in 2018. On offense, they traded their deep threat, Desean Jackson, so they aren’t as explosive. The Bucs defense was near the bottom of the league last year in every category, and seems to have only gotten worse. Jameis Winston threw three interceptions in week one, and also fumbled twice. He looks to improve his play in week two against Carolina. Bucs’ running back Ronald Jones finally looked like the player they thought he’d be, as he gained 75 yards on 13 carries (5.8 AVG YPC).

Carolina Panthers

Head Coach

Ron Rivera

Offensive Coordinator

Norv Turner

Defensive Coordinator

Eric Washington

Key Acquisitions

C Matt Paradis

LB Bruce Irvin

CB Javien Elliott

WR Chris Hogan

DT Gerald McCoy

S Tre Boston

Key Losses

LB Thomas Davis

C Ryan Kalil

DE Julius Peppers

Key Draft Picks

DE Brian Burns

OT Greg Little

RB Jordan Scarlett

Although Carolina didn’t start fast and win week one, there was a lot to like about their performance. There was also a lot to work on. Cam was a little more limited in the running game than fans hoped, due to the coaches wanting to make sure his foot is healed completely. Cam’s throws looked sharp and accurate at the beginning of the game, but it got worse as it went on. He completed 80% of passes 1-10, 70% of passes 11-20, 60% of passes 21-30 and 50% on his last eight passes. This is the product of shoulder surgery and not getting a lot of reps in the preseason. However, it’s still something to watch moving forward. The Carolina defense looked promising at times, too. They will only get better. The emergence of James Bradberry and Shaq Thompson was nice to see.

2018 Team Stat Rankings

Bucs

Panthers
3rd- 6,648 yds
Total Offense
10th- 5,972 yds
1st- 5,125 yds
Passing Offense
16th- 3,836 yds
29th- 1,523 yds
Rushing Offense
4th- 2,136 yds
12th- 24.8 ppg
Scoring Offense
15th- 23.5 ppg
27th- 6,134 yds
Total Defense
15th- 5,651 yds
26th- 4,151 yds
Passing Defense
18th- 3,847 yds
24th- 1,983 yds
Rushing Defense
12th- 1,804 yds
31st- 29.0 ppg
Points Allowed
19th- 23.9 ppg

 

2019 Team Rankings

Bucs

Panthers
25th- 295 yds
Total Offense
22nd- 343 yds
26th- 174 yds
Passing Offense
22nd- 216 yds
13th- 121 yds
Rushing Offense
9th- 127 yds
24th- 17.0 ppg
Scoring Offense
16th- 27.0 ppg
6th- 256 yds
Total Defense
15th- 349 yds
3rd- 158 yds
Passing Defense
9th- 183 yds
14th- 98 yds
Rushing Defense
28th- 166 yds
26th- 31.0 ppg
Points Allowed
24th- 30.0 ppg

Against the Rams, Cam looked sharp at times, but as the game went on, his arm appeared to become more fatigued. This will get better with more reps. He should play well against Tampa. McCaffrey picked up where he left off in 2018 and had 128 rushing yards and 81 yards receiving. Carolina needs to pound the ball early and often to wear out Tampa’s defense.

Jameis Winston needs to protect the ball if he wants to pull off the upset. Winston has talent and potential, so he will be the focus for the Carolina defense. Ronald Jones and Peyton Barber will be heavily used on Thursday. Receiver, Mike Evans, had an off day in week one, he will look to improve.

Things to Watch

Carolina

In 2018, Cam had the second best completion percentage when using playaction. Carolina didn’t use it too much against the Rams, but they should use it more often. The offensive line protected Cam fairly well on Sunday, and they should only get better. Look for Cam to throw a couple of downfield passes to shut the critics up. The shorter passes were game-planned against the Rams so that Aaron Donald didn’t have time to get to him. Newton will likely run more too, since his foot injury is getting fully healed. The Bucs defense ranked 3rd against the pass, as they allowed only 158 yards through the air. Granted, they played the San Francisco 49ers. Newton should dominate, if all goes according to plan. Against LA, they only converted five of eleven on third down, so if Carolina wants to win, they’ll have to do better. In Cam’s career against Tampa, he has a quarterback rating of 92.8. He’s also scored 29 touchdowns against the Bucs, which is his lost against any opponent.

Christian McCaffrey will build on his week one performance. He will likely get 18-23 carries and will continue to be utilized in the passing game. Hopefully, Carolina will have a commanding lead, and fans get to see Jordan Scarlett in real action. The Bucs allowed 98 yards on the ground in week one, which was ranked 14th in the league. The Carolina running backs should have a pretty good day.

DJ Moore had a good day against the Rams Sunday, except for the fumble. While the fumbles are concerning, let’s not forget another dynamic wide receiver who fumbled a lot in his first two seasons. Steve Smith fumbled eighteen times in his first two seasons, as a receiver and returner. Not saying that Moore is the next Smitty, but people need to stop panicking about the fumbles. Carolina has a lot of speed at receiver, so they will look to punish Tampa’s secondary. Having Greg Olsen healthy again is a plus too. With Tampa’s lack of pass rush and iffy secondary, Carolina should flourish in the passing game.

Carolina’s defense wasn’t able to contain the ground game on Sunday, which is something that will need to be corrected this week. It will help that Carolina faces Peyton Barber and Ronald Jones. The Panthers did a sufficient job keeping Goff at bay. The Carolina defense will look to feast on Bucs’ quarterback, Jameis Winston, who threw three interceptions last week. If Carolina wants to win this game, they need to pressure Winston more than they did Goff. With Irvin out, look for Brian Burns to get even more playing time.

Tampa Bay 

Last season, the Bucs had a good offense mainly due to quarterback, Ryan Fitzpatrick, and deep threat, Desean Jackson. Winston played 11 games last season, and threw 19 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. Winston started his 2019 campaign off bad, and will look to improve this week against Carolina. Carolina’s defense is ninth against the pass so far this season, but their pass rush was not as dominating as they had hoped. If Carolina can’t get to Winston, he will be more effective.

Ronald Jones had one of his best games last week, and will look to keep it going against Carolina. Last week, Todd Gurley had a pretty good day on the ground, as he had 14 carries for 97 yards. Bucs coach, Bruce Arians, will look to capitalize on the Panthers’ bad rush defense. Hopefully, Carolina will get better against the run this week.

Last week, Mike Evans was contained by San Francisco, and he would like to get more involved this week. Carolina corner, James Bradberry, usually shuts Evans down or limits him in every game. Last week, Chris Godwin, was Winston’s number one target. Godwin is a player to watch in this matchup, so look for Donte Jackson to cover Godwin quite a bit.

Tampa’s defense only had five total pressures against the 49ers, and will look to get to Newton more. Tampa’s secondary looked lost at times last week, but they do have some playmakers. Devin White and Lavonte David are talented, speedy linebackers who are capable of making plays against the pass and rush. It’s going to be a hard, uphill battle for this defense, and they just don’t appear up for the job.

Keys to a Carolina Victory

Run the ball early and often.

Pressure Winston.

Secure the ball.

Key Matchups

McCaffrey VS Bucs’ defensive line

Olsen/Thomas VS Bucs’ linebackers

Samuel/Moore VS Bucs’ secondary

Carolina’s pass rush VS Winston

Ronald Jones VS Carolina defense

Injury Report

Carolina

Bruce Irvin OUT (Hamstring)

Rashaan Gaulden QUESTIONABLE (Groin)

Greg Olsen QUESTIONABLE (Back)

Tampa Bay

Blaine Gabbert OUT

The Bucs come into this game relatively healthy, as they only have the backup quarterback out this week. The Panthers are still without newly signed linebacker, Bruce Irvin, as he is still dealing with a hamstring injury. Gaulden and Olsen are both questionable, but Olsen said he’s playing. With Irvin out, look for Brian Burns and Marquis Haynes to get extended work. If Olsen can’t go, Ian Thomas will get a lot of work.

Prediction

Even though Tampa beat Carolina in their last meeting, don’t expect it to happen this week. Carolina’s pass rush will get to Winston consistently and pressure him into 2-3 turnovers. The Panthers run defense will tighten up and only allow 75 total yards against the Bucs. The Carolina offense will have success and take this game at home on Thursday night football, 28-13.