I know, I know – the preseason doesn’t matter. But if you’re the kind of person that takes stock in these types of signs and omens, the Panthers are playing the exact same schedule they played in 2015 – you may remember it as the season the team went 15-1 and Cam Newton won the MVP – they started the preseason with wins over Buffalo and Miami before losing in Week 3 to the Patriots – although they were ahead by two scores when the starters exited the game early in the third quarter. Probably doesn’t matter, but those are the kinds of fun facts we look to in the preseason instead of actual analysis – there’s no need to look at who’s going to win the matchup between Eric Decker and Donte Jackson other than to see how Jackson matches up with strong possession receivers – how Devin Funchess can use his height advantage over Stephon Gilmore is inconsequential.
What matters is how the Panthers play in all three phases of the game – whether the third offensive line combination in three weeks can play as a cohesive unit; whether Donte Jackson and Rashaan Gaulden can survive Tom Brady checkdowns and hot routes in their first combined starting roles; whether a kick or punt returner will separate themselves from the rest of the pack. These are the questions, along with the rest we’ll outline below, that need answering as the starters play the entirety of the first half and a drive on each side of the ball after halftime; the final score doesn’t matter – but if it ends up being 17-16, that’ll be pretty spooky.
Let’s countdown our biggest storylines heading into the dress rehearsal for the regular season.
Five Players To Watch
Mario Addison, DE
The Panthers will be counting on Addison to continue the success that he had in 2017 and without Julius Peppers across from him, you can bet that the pass protection will be shaded to Addison’s side – will he be able to break through and disrupt Tom Brady? Will he be able to draw the protection to his side to open up rushing lanes for Wes Horton, Dontari Poe or Kawann Short?
Taylor Moton, LT
Well, Taylor – here’s your time to shine. With Matt Kalil missing at the very least this week and likely the rest of the preseason with an arthroscopic procedure on his right knee, the second-year player from Western Michigan now has the chance to protect Cam Newton’s blind side. Will he perform better than Kalil? How will his transition from the right to left side pan out? Can he handle a brand new position against a defense that will almost certainly look to take advantage of his inexperience?
Donte Jackson, CB
Last week against Miami, Jackson said that the game plan entailed keeping the receivers in front of him and rallying to the tackling point – if the scheme dictates this again, Tom Brady will dink-and-dunk his way all the way to the end zone; will Eric Washington trust the rookie to play press coverage? Can he use his speed to take away deep routes? Will wily veterans like Julian Edelman and Chris Hogan use their superior route running to get open or will Jackson be able to stick with them? How he plays tonight will likely dictate whether he’s ready to start Week 1 against Dallas.
Captain Munnerlyn, CB
The use of the nickel formation has been ascending throughout training camp and the preseason thus far, will Munnerlyn continue to be effective in coverage? How will he do as a blitzer off the edge? Does Eric Washington trust him or will the team ultimately look to use the “big nickel” formation that they used so much in 2017?
Jeremiah Sirles, RT
With Moton kicking over to left tackle, the free agent signing who came to Carolina in part for the opportunity to start will certainly get his shot – can he quickly adjust to playing next to Trai Turner? How will the communication along the front line shape up? Is a decent performance for Sirles enough to solidify his spot as the first backup swing tackle?
Four Depth Chart Questions
Is Rashaan Gaulden Ready For Primetime?
The coaches have liked what they’ve seen from Gaulden thus far, but this will be by far his biggest test with Da’Norris Searcy still sidelined with the concussion he suffered early in last week’s win over Miami. If Gaulden can limit his mistakes, he might just parlay this opportunity into a starting nod alongside his rookie compatriot Jackson in Week 1 – his physical presence will likely be utilized against however many snaps we see Rob Gronkowski for and his contributions in the running game will be something worth watching as well.
Which Linebacker Is Going To Step Up?
With Thomas Davis due to miss the first four games of the season, Ron Rivera said this week that they’re already limiting some of his reps in order to be prepared to be without the 2017 Pro Bowler for the first quarter of the season – the players to look for aren’t Shaq Thompson and Luke Kuechly, but rather David Mayo, Ben Jacobs and Jermaine Carter, Jr. One of those linebackers will likely get some snaps in the first half and it will be interesting to see how Mayo, who didn’t get a ton of time in coverage last season, matches up with Brady; the same goes for Carter, can a rookie overtake Mayo in the preseason to get reps during the first four games?
How Much Work Will CJ Anderson Get?
With Christian McCaffrey getting a huge workload – nine touches in the first 15 snaps – during the first quarter of last week’s game, something to look out for is whether Norv Turner uses a mix of McCaffrey and Anderson during the first half or if it’s mostly McCaffrey with Anderson on spell duty when the second-year player needs a break. While a lot has been made of the amounts of touches that are going to be allocated to McCaffrey in 2018, the team didn’t sign Anderson to be a high-profile backup – he’ll get some usage, but will it be in short-yardage situations or will the team still try to see how McCaffrey does between the tackles?
How Will The Defensive Line Rotation Shake Out?
DE Marquis Haynes
With no Julius Peppers – don’t expect him to suit up at all this preseason – the starting defensive ends of Addison and Wes Horton will see extended time, but the play of Marquis Haynes, Daeshon Hall, Zach Moore and Efe Obada will likely go a long way towards deciding who is the fourth man in the rotation come Week 1 against Dallas. Haynes outplayed Hall last week, but Obada may have looked the most impressive, albeit against lesser competition; with all four thought to get snaps against the first team, a breakout game could make or break someone’s 2018 season. Peppers is due to have a decrease in snaps and there is the retired Charles Johnson’s workload to be divvied up – that 30% off the left side of the line is there for the taking.
Three Important Plays
Re-turning Some Heads
The Panthers have been sending out a cavalcade of different returners thus far this preseason – Damiere Byrd, Curtis Samuel, Kenjon Barner and DJ Moore have all made at least one appearance – while Byrd excelled at the job last season, it may take a splash play in special teams to merit a roster spot for either he or Barner. If you see a return of more than 30 yards, pay attention – that might be enough to tick them onto the roster.
Cam Going Long
While much has been made about Cam Newton’s accuracy this preseason and the impact Norv Turner will have on his completion percentage – it’s over 70% thus far if you’re curious – it would be nice to see Newton using some of the speed he has at wide receiver, be it a deep ball to Torrey Smith, DJ Moore or Curtis Samuel – all of the deep passes thus far have been courtesy of Taylor Heinicke. Newton has struggled to connect on the deep ball for most of training camp; it’s the preseason, the stats don’t matter – let Cam try to air it out. The checkdowns to McCaffrey are going to be there, but a Turner offense needs the threat of a long ball to become fully engaged.
Brady Going Deep
Speaking of deep balls, Tom Brady will be facing a defense that’s starting two rookies – they’ll need to be able to balance keeping everything in front of them with not allowing someone to slip past them; communication will be key, a busted coverage will result in a big play for the Patriots and will expose a weakness.
Two Stats That Matter
- Last week’s 71-yard touchdown run by Christian McCaffrey was longer than any rushing play the Panthers had in 2017.
- The Panthers have scored the most touchdowns (8) of any team this preseason and are 4-for-4 in the red zone thus far this year; last year, they ranked 21st in the NFL.
One Picture I Just Want More People To See
Julius Peppers was born six months before I was and we both attended college at the same time. He’s a first-ballot Hall of Famer and I’m going to eat two hot dogs at halftime.
It’s like looking in a mirror.
Just kidding, how about the Panthers wearing blue jerseys and black pants tonight? It’s not Madden, it’s real life.
This isn't Madden. This is real life. pic.twitter.com/mH4oUQXtJG
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) August 24, 2018
