Carolina Panthers (0-1) @ Arizona Cardinals (1-0)
Sunday, September 14, 4:05 PM ET
Carolina Panthers fans have wasted no time calling for defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero to be dismissed of his duties after his unit gave up 200 yards rushing against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 1, but there might also be equal parts concern about Bryce Young and the offense after their struggle to get going against the Jaguars as well.
After the second half of last season, the Panthers felt like they’d seen enough out of Bryce Young to continue building around the former #1 overall pick out of Alabama, so that’s exactly what they did. But the support Young needs right now is a top-tier defense to give him extra possessions to work with.
The Panthers can’t give him that.
It’s going to be tough for them to go on the road and face off against a Cardinals team that has a variety of ways to beat you offensively, even though Week 1 wasn’t perfect for them either. If the Panthers are giving up 200 yards to Travis Etienne and the Jags, what’s going to happen when they go up against James Conner, Marvin Harrison Jr., and Trey McBride?
This is going to be another major test for Evero’s defense and if things get out of hand early in the season, he’s likely going to be replaced. The Cardinals are pretty hefty 6.5-point favorites to open the week here, and that feels pretty generous toward the Panthers based on what we saw out of them in Week 1.
Prediction: Cardinals win 27-18