The Panthers try to improve against a defense that just got shredded by the Lions.
Last week was an improvement for the Carolina Panthers offense under their new regime. It was far from good, but it was marginally better than what they’ve put out there in the final weeks of Frank Reich’s tenure. They scored two whole offensive touchdowns in one game. That might not seem like a lot (because it isn’t), but it’s the first time the Panthers offense has accomplished that feat since Week 6 against the Miami Dolphins, almost two months ago. Bryce Young let it rip a little bit more, and Chuba Hubbard became just the second back to top 100 yards against the Bucs this season. We’ll call it a baby step forward!
The Saints meanwhile have faltered somewhat on defense relative to expectations. They’ve been roughly middle of the pack when many thought their defense was going to be strong enough to lead them to a division title. It still might, but that’s because the division is so bad, not because the defense is dominant. They’re coming off a game where they got blitzed by the Detroit Lions. A lot of that has to do with the offensive struggles out of the gate in that game, but the defense still offered no resistance as they dug into a 21-0 hole less than halfway through the first quarter. To their credit, they righted the ship and were mostly good the rest of the way, but those first 21 points still counted.
The Panthers probably don’t have the firepower to go into the dome and score multiple touchdowns, but they can try? Here’s what they’ll have to do for success.
- Keep feeding Chuba Hubbard. Hubbard has fully solidified himself as the more productive back between he and Miles Sanders. He’s run for 206 yards and three touchdowns in the last three weeks. For their part, the Saints are 27th in the league allowing 4.5 yards per carry. The Panthers aren’t consistent enough up front to fully lean on the ground game, but they can take advantage in this area in the right situations.
- Keep slinging it. Bryce Young attempted 10 passes at least 15 yards down the field against the Buccaneers, the most in a game this season by a significant margin. The results weren’t great—he was 4-of-10 with an interception—but it was encouraging to see the Panthers at least try to stretch the defense. That’ll only serve to help them if teams have to start acknowledging the threat of a deep ball. And I’ve got my money on the game not being affected by any rainy weather this weekend.
On top of that, the Saints have been woeful rushing the passer. They’ve registered just 19 sacks all season and they rank last in ESPN’s pass rush win rate. Bryce Young should get more time than he’s used to. Take advantage of it.
- Utilize the tight ends in the passing game. The Panthers have gotten almost no production from their tight ends this season. I don’t expect any explosive performances on Sunday, but the Saints defense is vulnerable to the position. Lions rookie tight end just caught nine of nine targets for 140 yards against this defense. Two games before that, Vikings tight end TJ Hockenson caught 11 balls for 134 yards and a touchdown. Obviously the Panthers tight ends did not go to Iowa and aren’t as good as those guys, but they should try to emulate some of that success.
It’s shaping up to be another ugly game. Again, let’s just watch for progress.