The Carolina Panthers do not look complete through three weeks, but they need to bring it together as they face the Super Bowl champions in Week 4.
The Carolina Panthers were exposed by the visiting New Orleans Saints last week as they suffered their first set back of the season, losing 34-13. In Week 4, the tests keep coming as the Panthers head north to face off against the New England Patriots. To pull off the upset, the Panthers need to click on all cylinders and, as of now offensively, the team is struggling.
Three games into the season, Cam Newton doesn’t look quite like the player that led the Panthers to the Super Bowl two short seasons ago. Instead, his limited time on the field during the preseason and for regular season practices has many wondering if he’s 100 percent healthy. He was listed as “limited” during this week, but the expectation is that he will be on the field from the very start.
Newton is struggling under center and his numbers reflect that. He’s completed only 61.4 percent of his passes, but it’s the four interceptions to his two touchdowns that are most alarming. When Newton has missed his targets this season, he’s been way off, which draws comparison to the young quarterback early in his career when many questioned if he’d be a franchise quarterback.
More from NFL Spin Zone
- Dallas Cowboys made the trade everyone else should have made
- Pittsburgh Steelers rookie sleeper everyone should be talking about
- Anthony Richardson putting jaw-dropping talent on display immediately
- Denver Broncos’ stud wide receiver might be out for a while
- Washington Commanders: Three takeaways from win over Ravens
Carolina has put their faith in him by locking him down with a long-term contract. This game against the Patriots, even if it’s a close defeat, will set the tone for the expectations surrounding Newton for the rest of the season.
Defensively, Carolina is still doing what they’ve been known for: limiting their opponent’s offense. Yes, the Panthers defense struggled against New Orleans, and part of that is due to the offense being unable to sustain any long drives. The unit will need to be at their best as they face another powerful offense that’s averaging 33 points per game, second to only the LA Rams.
The Panthers are holding teams to only 89.7 yards per game on the ground and 179.3 yards through the air, but we’ve seen what happens when the team faces a high-powered offense like New England’s. The defense will have to keep things close early in order to give the Panthers an opportunity to escape with a win, but the course of this game will hinge on how well the Panthers defense starts this matchup. Allowing Tom Brady and company get off to a fast start will only spell danger for the team from Charlotte. But Carolina has shown the ability to pressure quarterbacks fast and early.
Next: NFL 2017: One burning question for each team, Week 4
Carolina has an extremely tough test ahead of them as they face the defending Super Bowl champions on Sunday. While it’s still early in the year, this is a game that Panthers need. However, with so many red flags waving around this offense, one must wonder what unit will show up. Much of that begins with Cam Newton, and the Panthers need him to perform well if they’re to pass this test.