Carolina Panthers: Can They Mimic the 2014 Patriots?

The Carolina Panthers have seen their roster damaged by injury and other situations well before the season kicked off. Kelvin Benjamin’s ACL injury that will keep him sidelined all year is the most concerning of the bunch. Without Benjamin, the team will lack a standout receiver to threaten their opponents. However, the Panthers and their fans should not give up all hope on this season. Other teams have played extremely well without a notable offensive threat coming into the season. In fact, the 2014 New England Patriots are a shining example of how far a team can go while playing under the perception of being “limited” on offense.

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In 2014, the Patriots main weapons for quarterback Tom Brady were Brandon LaFell, Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski. Shane Vereen led the team in rushing that season, but throughout the year the organization never had a starting running back with name value or previously spectacular performance. Other than Gronkowski, none of these players were highly touted individuals that turned heads with high-level play. Still, the Patriots were able to leverage their roster into a play style that suited the organization and pushed them towards a Super Bowl winning season.

Also On Spin Zone: Will Devin Funchess Fill The Void?

The Panthers are in a very similar situation, but for different reasons. The Kelvin Benjamin injury leaves the Panthers roster looking a lot like the Patriots roster during their last Super Bowl winning season.

Coach Ron Rivera was quoted by Jonathan Jones of The Charlotte Observer addressing the Panthers current receiving core:

"“The thing we’re waiting for is for Devin (Funchess) to be healthy and get him out on the football field. He runs a lot of the same type of routes (as Kelvin). He’s almost as imposing a target as Kelvin and the biggest thing with him is the confidence that he plays with as he develops,” Rivera said. “Guys like (Corey Brown) have to continue to step up. He can’t have the type of start he had last week. (Jerricho) Cotchery obviously will play a bigger role. And then of course the one guy that’s been the constant has been Greg Olsen. We’ve got to find other creative ways to make sure he’s open and get him the ball.”"

Olsen is an excellent starting tight end coming off of his most productive season. Beyond Olsen, the rest of the Panthers receiving core is widely unproven as main targets for a quarterback. Funchess is a rookie and Ted Ginn Jr., has never performed as a main target for an offense. Cotchery has solid seasons under his belt but questions remain as whether or not he has the ability to shoulder much of the load at this point in his career.

The Panthers core group of receivers is very similar to that the Patriots performed so well with last season. Yet there are two key differences in predicating whether or not this office can perform at a high enough level: the Panthers running game and the player taking the snaps.

Feb 1, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; New England Patriots quarterback

Tom Brady

(12) celebrates with the Vince Lombardi Trophy after beating the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

Brady really upped his Hall of Fame quality play to lead the Patriots towards their most recent title. Can Newton will have to show a high-level of play in order to keep Carolina relevant throughout the year, which may be a lot to ask of the 26-year old athlete.

Improving his decision making is the first step of action. Newton has the physical tools to get away from pressure and extend the play, but that hasn’t helped him in lowering his interceptions while increasing his overall completion percentage. With a weakened receiving core he is going to need to quickly improve in this area in order to make sure he keeps his team in the best position to win at all times.

On the other hand of the conversation are Newton’s contributions as a part of the Panthers run game. If they can lean on Jonathan Stewart, Cameron Artis-Payne and company, they will have a shot at controlling the pace of the games. The team’s offensive line is going through some changes as well as youth is being interjected into the starting group. Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report went as far as to say the O-Line is the driving force behind the Panthers’ success this year.

Stewart has struggled to remain healthy for an entire season. It will be a compelling story to see if he can perform to the level that both fans and the front office have for him this season. Thankfully, Newton, Cameron Artis-Payne and Mike Tolbert are all viable options to support Carolina’s running attack.

The 2015 season was expected to be an important turning point for the Panthers organization. Hopes ranged from winning the NFC South for the third season in a row, to being a Super Bowl dark horse. A rash of injuries before game one completely ravaged those expectations, but prior history has shown that teams without many marquee names on offense can get the job done. While they may not be the Patriots of yore, the Panthers will have to find a way to win in this important year.

Next: How will the Carolina Panthers deal without Kelvin Benjamin?

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