Oldfaithful
Hall of Famer
Well… That just happened. After a uncharacteristic miss from Justin Tucker we sit at a 4-3 record when it could honestly be 7-0. Nonetheless we can’t dwell on it as a team. We need to take the “next victim” approach and take the NFL season week to week.
The good news is, that the next opponent isn’t as good as the one we just faced. But they are no cakewalk. The Carolina Panthers are a good team and sort of the NFC version of what the Ravens were in 2010-2012. Their QB gets a lot of scrutiny despite being very good, the defense is a lockdown unit with its most notable player being a stud inside linebacker, and an offensive coordinator that continually proves that he is stuck in the stone age! But how do we match up on the field.
Offensively
Cam Newton is one of the few players I come across that lives up to his nickname. I hate his brash personality but cannot deny that he is a very good quarterback. While he is almost universally considered to be a top 10 QB, a lot of his best traits go very unnoticed by a casual NFL fan. He is will above average in terms of his ability to read defenses pre and post snap, he’s accurate, and is seldom a terrible decision maker. This is before you get into the most notable thing about Cam Newton: his athleticism. Cam Newton is the most athletically gifted quarterback in the NFL and it’s not even close. He lacks the elite speed an in his prime Vick had, but makes up for that by having the body of an NFL linebacker and being a freight train. He can take all the punishment you give him for this reason and he will not hesitate to run. If you give him a 10 yard cushion to run, he likely turns it into 40 because while his speed is not elite, it's very good. But Cam Newton was never a run-first QB. Even if you contain him and take his athleticism out of the game, he still boasts an elite arm, and is one of the few quarterbacks in the game that can match Flacco strength wise.
Notice how I’m rambling on and on about Cam Newton. Like Flacco in 2010-2012, his supporting cast isn’t bad, but is horribly utilized. But there are two notable players we need to keep tabs on as a defense. Christian McCaffery is the perfect Robin to Cam Newton’s Batman and is a massive mismatch problem. Often you can find him flexing out to the slot where he is one of the better options in the league. He and Cam Newton have perfect chemistry together and if we allow McCaffery to have a great game, it’s going to be a hard game to win. Greg Olsen is also one of the game’s best tight ends, and no one ever really talks about him. You know Mark Andrews? Greg Olsen is a Mark Andrews at his full potential. He is a mismatch problem and the best weapon in Cam Newton’s arsenal. The WR corps is where you can rest easy, not because any of them are bad players, but because Norv Turner is still stuck in the stone age. Rookie DJ Moore could be a #1 wide receiver in the NFL, but he hasn’t reached it yet. Devin Funchess is a nice possession WR but he has inconsistent hands, and then we have our old friend Torrey Smith who could be looking to show us up with his elite speed, but once again bosts inconsistent hands. There's a solid chance that this receiving corps beats itself because of this, but an equal chance that they tear us apart because there's too much speed to handle.
Where the Panthers lack is a running game. The offensive line has been surprisingly very solid, but they cannot run the ball to save their lives. Without Gary Kubiak, CJ Anderson is proving to be another product of the system. Christian McCaffery is a talented player but his talents are best utilized as a receiver. The best runner on Carolina’s roster, is Cam Newton. Add in the fact that Norv Turner is not a good offensive coordinator anymore, and you have a very talented but beatable opponent.
Defensively
This is where we are going to struggle the most. Carolina’s front seven is as good as anyone’s. Luke Kuechly is the best inside linebacker in the game and will likely go down as this generations’ premier inside linebacker whose game literally has no weaknesses. His running mate, Thomas Davis, may be an elder statesman but is also a great coverage LB. So forget about throwing in the middle of the field with the tight ends. Shaq Thompson is also a speedy coverage LB and a quality player in his own right. This is before you account for their vaunted defensive line, which is one of the best in football. Kawann Short is one of the best rushing defensive tackles in the league. Mario Addison continues to go as one of the most underrated pass rushers the league has to offer. Then in a more limited role due to his age we have Julius Peppers. The future hall of famer continues to be an ageless wonder and is still a potent threat as a pass rusher.
Where we can rest way easier is the secondary. Their secondary isn’t bad, in fact it’s pretty solid. James Bradburry has been a pleasant surprise, Captain Munnerlyn is a quality slot corner, and Eric Reid is a good starting safety.
Carolina’s unit is a very good defense.
How to beat: The Offense
The good news is that Carolina’s offense is one dimensional, so there is only one thing to do: stop Cam Newton. That is easier said than done. The offensive line is better than anticipated but they still have some holes at LT and LG. Our edge rushers need to find a way to consistently get pressure, and most importantly, we need Kenny Young and Tyus Bowser(if Harbaugh decides to give him playing time) to contain him on rushing downs. We are not going to stop Greg Olsen, he takes even the best inside linebackers and eats them for dinner. What we can do however, is take care of McCaffery. He’s very talented but is I think with how well we handled Kamara last week, we are up for the task. I trust our secondary can handle their receivers, especially if Marlon Humphrey returns. Jimmy, it’s time for a redemption game.
How to beat: The Defense
Since we are not going to be able to run anyways, protect Flacco and this is a win. Their secondary isn’t a liability like the Steelers, but our receiving corps matches up very favorably to them. This is where having a lot of good players beats having an elite wide receiver. One of our receivers is going to be open, if they can catch consistently we should in solid shape. I don’t expect the tight ends to get involved since all three of Carolina’s linebackers are excellent in coverage. It's not going to be easy at all to protect Joe, as they have three pro bowl caliber pass rushers, but we have seen some tough front sevens thus far and have fared well in pass protection. I don't expect this to be a cake walk for the offensive line, but I do see them having more wins than losses.
Overall: The Panthers are no pushover, but we match up with them quite well. Like last week I expect a really good game, but this week I expect a victory. Here’s to hoping we show up.
The good news is, that the next opponent isn’t as good as the one we just faced. But they are no cakewalk. The Carolina Panthers are a good team and sort of the NFC version of what the Ravens were in 2010-2012. Their QB gets a lot of scrutiny despite being very good, the defense is a lockdown unit with its most notable player being a stud inside linebacker, and an offensive coordinator that continually proves that he is stuck in the stone age! But how do we match up on the field.
Offensively
Cam Newton is one of the few players I come across that lives up to his nickname. I hate his brash personality but cannot deny that he is a very good quarterback. While he is almost universally considered to be a top 10 QB, a lot of his best traits go very unnoticed by a casual NFL fan. He is will above average in terms of his ability to read defenses pre and post snap, he’s accurate, and is seldom a terrible decision maker. This is before you get into the most notable thing about Cam Newton: his athleticism. Cam Newton is the most athletically gifted quarterback in the NFL and it’s not even close. He lacks the elite speed an in his prime Vick had, but makes up for that by having the body of an NFL linebacker and being a freight train. He can take all the punishment you give him for this reason and he will not hesitate to run. If you give him a 10 yard cushion to run, he likely turns it into 40 because while his speed is not elite, it's very good. But Cam Newton was never a run-first QB. Even if you contain him and take his athleticism out of the game, he still boasts an elite arm, and is one of the few quarterbacks in the game that can match Flacco strength wise.
Notice how I’m rambling on and on about Cam Newton. Like Flacco in 2010-2012, his supporting cast isn’t bad, but is horribly utilized. But there are two notable players we need to keep tabs on as a defense. Christian McCaffery is the perfect Robin to Cam Newton’s Batman and is a massive mismatch problem. Often you can find him flexing out to the slot where he is one of the better options in the league. He and Cam Newton have perfect chemistry together and if we allow McCaffery to have a great game, it’s going to be a hard game to win. Greg Olsen is also one of the game’s best tight ends, and no one ever really talks about him. You know Mark Andrews? Greg Olsen is a Mark Andrews at his full potential. He is a mismatch problem and the best weapon in Cam Newton’s arsenal. The WR corps is where you can rest easy, not because any of them are bad players, but because Norv Turner is still stuck in the stone age. Rookie DJ Moore could be a #1 wide receiver in the NFL, but he hasn’t reached it yet. Devin Funchess is a nice possession WR but he has inconsistent hands, and then we have our old friend Torrey Smith who could be looking to show us up with his elite speed, but once again bosts inconsistent hands. There's a solid chance that this receiving corps beats itself because of this, but an equal chance that they tear us apart because there's too much speed to handle.
Where the Panthers lack is a running game. The offensive line has been surprisingly very solid, but they cannot run the ball to save their lives. Without Gary Kubiak, CJ Anderson is proving to be another product of the system. Christian McCaffery is a talented player but his talents are best utilized as a receiver. The best runner on Carolina’s roster, is Cam Newton. Add in the fact that Norv Turner is not a good offensive coordinator anymore, and you have a very talented but beatable opponent.
Defensively
This is where we are going to struggle the most. Carolina’s front seven is as good as anyone’s. Luke Kuechly is the best inside linebacker in the game and will likely go down as this generations’ premier inside linebacker whose game literally has no weaknesses. His running mate, Thomas Davis, may be an elder statesman but is also a great coverage LB. So forget about throwing in the middle of the field with the tight ends. Shaq Thompson is also a speedy coverage LB and a quality player in his own right. This is before you account for their vaunted defensive line, which is one of the best in football. Kawann Short is one of the best rushing defensive tackles in the league. Mario Addison continues to go as one of the most underrated pass rushers the league has to offer. Then in a more limited role due to his age we have Julius Peppers. The future hall of famer continues to be an ageless wonder and is still a potent threat as a pass rusher.
Where we can rest way easier is the secondary. Their secondary isn’t bad, in fact it’s pretty solid. James Bradburry has been a pleasant surprise, Captain Munnerlyn is a quality slot corner, and Eric Reid is a good starting safety.
Carolina’s unit is a very good defense.
How to beat: The Offense
The good news is that Carolina’s offense is one dimensional, so there is only one thing to do: stop Cam Newton. That is easier said than done. The offensive line is better than anticipated but they still have some holes at LT and LG. Our edge rushers need to find a way to consistently get pressure, and most importantly, we need Kenny Young and Tyus Bowser(if Harbaugh decides to give him playing time) to contain him on rushing downs. We are not going to stop Greg Olsen, he takes even the best inside linebackers and eats them for dinner. What we can do however, is take care of McCaffery. He’s very talented but is I think with how well we handled Kamara last week, we are up for the task. I trust our secondary can handle their receivers, especially if Marlon Humphrey returns. Jimmy, it’s time for a redemption game.
How to beat: The Defense
Since we are not going to be able to run anyways, protect Flacco and this is a win. Their secondary isn’t a liability like the Steelers, but our receiving corps matches up very favorably to them. This is where having a lot of good players beats having an elite wide receiver. One of our receivers is going to be open, if they can catch consistently we should in solid shape. I don’t expect the tight ends to get involved since all three of Carolina’s linebackers are excellent in coverage. It's not going to be easy at all to protect Joe, as they have three pro bowl caliber pass rushers, but we have seen some tough front sevens thus far and have fared well in pass protection. I don't expect this to be a cake walk for the offensive line, but I do see them having more wins than losses.
Overall: The Panthers are no pushover, but we match up with them quite well. Like last week I expect a really good game, but this week I expect a victory. Here’s to hoping we show up.