It hasn’t been an ideal year thus far for the Carolina Panthers, as they sit at 1-8 after nine games. It’s expected to be more of the same in week 11 as they face the red hot Dallas Cowboys. With that being said, it presents them with an opportunity to make a statement with a major upset. They’ve managed to keep most of their games relatively close despite the poor record, which is something they’ll have to do again in hopes of claiming victory. Only then can they capitalize and pull off their second win.
After a tough loss to the Bears on Thursday Night Football, Carolina’s slim playoff hopes have slipped even further away. Every other team in the NFC South has at least four wins, and has looked far more impressive overall. The Panthers still hold the worst record in football, meaning the Bears would have the first overall pick if the season concluded today. Even if it’s just a moral victory, passing a few teams in the standings would be big for the Carolina.
Another major note going into this week’s game is that Head Coach Frank Reich has taken back over as the offensive play-caller. Offensive Coordinator Thomas Brown was given play-calling duties just a few weeks ago, only to have them relinquished heading into Sunday’s game against Dallas. Reich cited his years of experience, suggesting he gives the team their best shot at winning. The offense has performed poorly throughout the entirety of the season, giving fans little reason to believe this will cause a visible change in their play.
It’s been a disastrous first year in the NFL for Bryce Young, largely for reasons out of his control. A combination of poor offensive line play and a lack of dynamic receivers have made finding success nearly impossible for the Alabama product. Outside of Adam Thielen, his limited options at receiver have resulted in a stagnant offense in most games. On top of all of this, he’ll face his biggest test this week when the Cowboys come to town.
The primary concern will be Micah Parsons, the edge rusher who’s had his name in talks for Defensive Player of the Year all season. He’s performed well against solid offensive lines, making it a near guarantee that he’ll get to Young on multiple occasions when taking on the Panthers.
Dallas’ secondary also boasts plenty of talent, even without Trevon Diggs. Daron Bland has stepped up as their top cornerback in Diggs’ absence, totaling three pick-sixes on five interceptions this season. Young will have to be wary of Bland when putting the ball in the air this weekend. The Cowboys’ defense has absolutely punished certain teams this year, leaving plenty of reason for Panthers fans to worry.
The Panthers’ defense has been a small bright spot in a terrible season, performing well at times despite a plethora of injuries. They’ll need to put their best foot forward this week in hopes of stopping the Cowboys offense, which has been on a tear. Dak Prescott is playing some of the best football of his career, constantly connecting with CeeDee Lamb. Lamb, 24, also looks to be in the best form of his young NFL career.
These two, along with a variety of other playmakers, have led the Cowboys to 135 points over their last four games. Besides a surprising loss to the Cardinals, the Cowboys have lit up most of the defenses they’ve played this year. They’ve scored over 30 in five of their nine games, and are likely to do so again this week. Luckily for Carolina, they’ll have their best defensive player back this weekend in Brian Burns. He missed last Thursday’s game with a concussion, but is active once again after a 10 day break.
He, along with Donte Jackson, will need to perform well if the Panthers hope to slow this dynamic offense. Jackson will be matched up against Lamb, giving him the opportunity to make a statement against a top receiver. Jackson hasn’t been phenomenal this season, but we’ve seen him step up to the plate in big games before. It’ll take a complete team effort though, as the Panthers hope to pull off what would be the biggest upset of the NFL season thus far.
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Featured image courtesy of the Carolina Panthers.
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