The Carolina Panthers aim to kick off the 2017 season with a win on the road against the San Francisco 49ers as they need a strong start to the year.
The 2017 season is ready to kick off for the Carolina Panthers as they travel to San Francisco to face the 49ers. This Sunday is the start of Carolina’s campaign to make it back to the postseason and show that 2016 was an exception to how good this organization is under head coach Ron Rivera. There are a number of interesting wrinkles to look forward to when both teams step onto the field this Sunday.
Cam Newton’s first moments under center are going to be highly scrutinized on Sunday. Newton is coming off of a year where he was not only down statistically, but he was rattled with some very bad shots. Couple that with the shoulder surgery and the back issues that have limited his abilities in the preseason, questions are swirling to see how Newton will look under center.
Newton and Carolina’s coaches are all saying the right thing that they aren’t concerned and like everything they’ve seen from the former NFL MVP. However, things change when real game speed comes into play. It’s imperative that Newton builds his confidence during the first few drives in this game.
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On the offensive side of the ball, the 49ers should expect a heavy dose of Panthers rookies, Curtis Samuel and Christian McCaffrey. McCaffrey’s abilities as a dual weapon in passing and rushing situations allows the Panthers to find creative ways to get him involved in the game. Samuel is expected to impact the passing game from the slot position. Mixing him into the passing attack that involves Kelvin Benjamin, Devin Funchess, Greg Olsen and others adds further depth that should concern opposing defenses.
Carolina’s defense also needs to get off to a strong start. While the Panthers offense receives many of the accolades, Carolina’s defense has been the backbone of this organization for years. Even last season, they kept the Panthers in many close games, but were unable to hold on to close things out. The release of Zack Sanchez creates an additional void in the defensive backfield. Daryl Worley and Kurt Coleman both played well in their position, but the questions remain around James Bradberry and Mike Adams, who are expected to step into starting positions.
The front four for the Panthers looks very strong, especially with the added depth of Julius Peppers, Vernon Butler, and others. The same can be said with the linebackers as Shaq Thompson, Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis return to the field, but have more depth ready to step in when needed.
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The San Francisco 49ers look to rebuild after at 2-14 season that was marred with the Colin Kaepernick “controversy”. Carolina is looking to do the same and get back to the NFL Playoffs and the top of the NFC South. There are so many different points of interest when looking at this game on paper; making it one of the more intriguing games to start the season. Newton and the Panthers need to get off to a strong start to help people forget about last season and nothing does that better than a season-opener win on the road.