Carolina Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams missed the team’s Week 3 blowout loss on Sunday Night Football against the Pittsburgh Steelers with a thigh injury, but he was actually expected to play after missing Week 2 (he didn’t really have a shot at playing against the Detroit Lions in that one). With Jonathan Stewart and Mike Tolbert injured, there’s clearly urgency to get D-Will back and at 100%, and it looks like that’s exactly what will happen.
Cat Crave
ESPN’s Ed Werder reports that Panthers head coach Ron Rivera is expecting DeAngelo Williams to practice tomorrow after being a mildly surprising inactive in Week 3, and this is definitely great news for the injury-depleted Panthers backfield. Not only is Williams their most efficient and- probably- most talented back, but the fact that he’ll be able to practice tomorrow that he’s a 100% go in Week 4, barring any setbacks; that’s the only worry here.
It looks like the Panthers will be able to get a full week’s worth of practice out of Williams, who will have to lead the rushing attack against the Baltimore Ravens without much help from the backups. Williams looked pretty darn good in the Panthers Week 1 win over the rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers, putting up 72 carries on 14 yards. If either Williams or Stewart can stay healthy for most of the season (it’s not going to happen for both, especially given J-Stew’s injury history), then the Panthers should field a solid running game; these guys still have it.