Week 10 at Green Bay Packers
I’m beginning to sense a pattern that these two teams are going to square off every other year, as they’ve faced off in 2015, 2017, and now 2019. The Panthers have won the last two matchups, both at home, but this time, the game takes place at the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field. New head coach Matt LaFleur will also be present.
Give credit where credit is due: This Packers front office is doing its best to shake the team’s label of “Aaron Rodgers and a bunch of guys.” Granted, Rodgers is arguably the best quarterback in the NFL when healthy, but the rest of this team is surprisingly intriguing to me.
Davante Adams went from a terrible receiver in 2015 to one of the position’s absolute best players by the end of 2018. Following him are a bunch of young pieces with strange names in Equanimeous St. Brown and Marquez Valdes-Scantling as well as veteran Geronimo Allison. The offensive line isn’t horrible, but tight end Jimmy Graham’s stay in Green Bay hasn’t exactly gone to plan.
The defense, however, is where the Panthers should place their fear, because I think it’s going to take a big step up this season. With names including Kenny Clark, Mike Daniels, Preston Smith, Za’Darius Smith, Rashan Gary, Blake Martinez, Kyler Fackrell, Jaire Alexander, Darnell Savage, Adrian Amos and Kevin King, the Packers defense appears to be full of quality and young talent at most positions.
Add in the huge homefield advantage, and this has the makings of a difficult, but anticipated game.
Week 13 vs. Washington Redskins
Could Carolina see rookie QB Dwayne Haskins by the time Week 13 comes our way? Who knows, but I’d rather see him than Case Keenum. Keenum’s been a guy I love as a backup, but as a starter, while he makes admirable efforts extending plays, his field vision is extremely lacking.
Derrius Guice should be ready to go after missing all of 2018 to a torn ACL. Adrian Peterson joins him, surprising everyone with an above average year in Washington last season. The receiving corps has a lot of solid players, but we have yet to see if any of them can actually be a WR1. Jordan Reed is still with the team, as his concussion history has derailed an otherwise explosive athlete at the tight end position.
The team added Montez Sweat to a talented pass rush, including names like Jonathan Allen, Ryan Kerrigan, and Da’Ron Payne. Landon Collins was given a ridiculous amount of money in free agency, but he’s been good. On paper, Washington looks like the average team they’ve been for a while, but there are a few top heavy pieces that could set them apart if they’re healthy.
At home, I do have confidence that Carolina can win this one.
Week 15 vs. Seattle Seahawks
Another chapter in the Panthers-Seahawks rivalry will be underway in Week 16, and once again it’ll take place at BOA Stadium. Seattle leads the all time series 9-4, including the postseason – and Cam Newton and company will need a strong showing to get back on track in the rivalry.
Everyone knows how good Russell Wilson is, but for the first time since 2010, the team will be without the great Doug Baldwin, who was forced to retire in the offseason due to various injuries. As a result, D.K. Metcalf was drafted in the second round to compliment Tyler Lockett, who had a ridiculously efficient 2018.
The once iconic Seattle defense has undergone some changes, being without Frank Clark and legendary safety Earl Thomas. Replacing Clark with Ziggy Ansah is understandable, but this version of Ansah isn’t nearly as good – though he’s cheaper. The offensive line is also cheap, but honestly, not good either.
And of course, the Seahawks love to run the football. Chris Carson is coming off a great 2018 campaign, so he’ll most likely be featured heavily in this offense again. Keeping Wilson contained is going to have to be the Panthers’ focal point, however. It’s well known that Wilson is an annoyance to deal with when he’s scrambling outside the pocket or passing in it, and, as such, simply shutting down one area of his game isn’t enough.
Week 16 at Indianapolis Colts
Photo Credit: Andy Lyons/Getty Images
I think Panthers fans can sympathize with how Andrew Luck’s career started, as Newton has encountered a similar career arc. Both started off with bad offensive lines and dragged rebuilding teams to competence and postseason appearances – and both have exciting skill sets, combining mobility with fantastic arms, incredible tight window accuracy, and great play under pressure.
In 2018, however, the Colts upgraded the offensive line, and at last Luck was given actual, consistent pass protection. Who could’ve guessed he would have a sensational season as a result? Similarly, the Panthers hope the 2019 offensive line upgrades will be enough to hold the fort for Newton.
The Colts are one of those teams that likes to build through the draft, and as such, they surprised many in 2018 by not spending a lot of cap space even though they had the most going into the offseason. One of the additions they did make was former Panther Devin Funchess, adding him to their receiving corps. Frank Reich is hoping he can get the same magic out of Funchess that he did from Eric Ebron in 2018, and adding him with the excellent T.Y. Hilton and rookie Parris Campbell gives the Colts more versatility in the receiving corps.
To be honest, I’m not exactly sure what to think of some of the pieces on defense, but defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus did a phenomenal job of getting the most out of what he was given last year, so this group could take a huge leap forward by the time Week 16 rolls out. The Panthers pass rush is in for a difficult task going up against Indianapolis’ offensive line, and even then, simply containing Luck presents another problem.
This will be the second time Cam Newton and Andrew Luck will play against each other’s teams, but it could be the first where both are healthy, as Luck was battling injuries back in 2015.
I’m looking forward to this one the most out of all the matchups listed – especially in Week 16 with potential playoff implications for both teams.
