Are the Carolina Panthers about to dominate the New Orleans Saints on the ground?
The rivalry between the Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints will continue this Sunday as the Panthers travel to Louisiana to face their NFC South foes. On the line is an opportunity for the Panthers to improve to 12-0, but more importantly, the team can win their third straight NFC title; which would be the first time for the franchise. In order for that to happen, the Panthers should focus on their powerful run attack. The potential for a big game on the ground sets the stage for the most important matchup between the Saints’ defensive line and the Panthers’ offensive line.
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On paper, this looks like a matchup that Carolina should be able to dominate. The Panthers are averaging 138.9 yards per game. This includes 4 yards per attempt, 4 plays of 20 or more yards and 92 first downs that have come by running the ball. The committee is led by Jonathan Stewart, but his assistants in Cam Newton and Mike Tolbert create a battering ram that defenses just can’t stop. When the offense throws in special plays involving wide receiver Ted Ginn, Jr or Fozzy Whittaker the diversity in their attack only grows.
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This leads to the problems facing the Saints on Sunday. To this point in the year the New Orleans’ run defense has been mediocre at best. They are giving up 134.5 yards a game with an amazing 4.9 yards per average on each attempt. This is a focal point that the Carolina faithful should expect their team to attack and attack often.
The Panthers will bring an enormous amount of momentum into this game. Everyone recognizes their 11-0 record; however the team has a streak of 22 straight games in which they have earned more than 100 yards on the ground. The last time a team has been able to keep them under the century mark was back on October 5, 2014 when the Chicago Bears held them to only 91 yards. That’s an impressive streak that has only occurred a few times in the history of the NFL.
Another point of reference is that not only is the Panthers’ O-line playing a key part in how well they run the ball, but everyone on the offense chips into the performance. Greg Olsen and the other wide receivers are getting key blocks close to the line of scrimmage to help Stewart and Newton get those additional yards.
Next: How The Panthers Can Beat The Saints
The Carolina Panthers continue to flex their muscle as they pound teams by running the ball against them time and time again. The New Orleans Saints have a daunting task of stopping them on Sunday, even though they’ve struggled to stop anyone from doing so all season. Expect the Panthers to serve up continuous helpings of Stewart, Tolbert and Newton to control the clock and pace of this game.