Yes, preseason football matters. While Cam Newton and Curtis Samuel are unlikely to play, the game against the Titans will not only be a time for a longer look at the Panthers’ starters, it will also be an important opportunity for the players trying desperately to make the roster to get some true playing time against opponents where they can show whether they are worthy of donning a Panthers jersey during the regular season. The NFL now allows teams to keep 90 men on their roster all the way up until September 2nd; this means that the players fighting for roster spots will get three more weeks of preseason games to prove their worth. While you may be tempted to flip the game off once the starters are removed after the first few series, the true value in these games lies in what the second/third/fourth string will do. I’ll let Ron Rivera do the heavy lifting:
“On the defensive side, you want to see pass rushers get around the quarterback, you want to see linebackers keep the ball in front of them, making plays. You want to see DBs being around the ball when it’s in the air. I think, again, that’s what we’re looking for. Offensively, again, we want to be able to protect the quarterback, we want to see who’s blocking, who’s gotten better as blockers. And then we want playmakers, guys that are going to make plays for us. On special teams, we want to see who’s going to step up and be one of those special teams aces, one of those guys that’s willing to go down and make plays and create field position for you. As far as returners go, it’s going to be exciting to see who’s going to be out there.”
–Head Coach Ron Rivera, when asked what he is looking for in preseason games.
After two days of joint practices in Nashville, the Titans and Panthers are a bit more familiar with each other than the traditional preseason opponent; while there were no fights during the practices, don’t be surprised if things get a bit chippy in the Tennessee heat. While some battles seem to be one-sided, nothing has been decided; Damiere Byrd seems to have traveled to Nashville with the fifth wide receiver spot in his back pocket, but there are still two weeks until the Panthers have to finalize their roster. Last week we focused on specific matchups, but this week, we’d like for you to focus on positional groups to get a better idea of where players stand.
Cornerbacks
With neither Corey Davis nor Eric Decker expected to suit up Saturday, James Bradberry and Daryl Worley should be able to shut down veterans Rishard Matthews and Harry Douglas, especially if they are making a jump to the top tier of cornerback as expected. How they play will be a good measuring stick for them, top corners are able to make these types of receivers non-factors. While Bradberry and Worley should excel, the real players to watch are going to be Teddy Williams, Zack Sanchez, Cole Luke, and the rest of the backup defensive secondary. Last week against the Texans it seemed as if Teddy Williams was giving huge cushions on almost every pass play and did not want to get beat deep. Obviously, getting beat deep is what every cornerback wants to avoid, but giving up eight to ten yards on slants and stop routes makes for long drives and eventual scores. Cole Luke should get some time on the outside and because he is more experienced in the nickel role, how he handles outside receivers will be worth noting. Zack Sanchez had trouble in coverage last season when his mechanics would break down, so how he moves his hips and feet will be something to keep an eye on across the field. One of the schemes that defensive coordinator Steve Wilks wants to implement is more man-to-man coverage, so expect to see these corners matched up one-on-one as the linebackers or safeties blitz.
Safeties
Colin Jones and Dezmen Southward are currently the second team safeties, try to keep an eye on how they handle their responsibilities in both run stoppage and pass coverage down the middle of the field. Last week against the Texans, the coaches sent LJ McCray on multiple safety blitzes, it will be interesting to see if they do the same with Southward or Damian Parms in Nashville. If the tight end is open down the seam, you’ll know that the safeties may be having some issues. How they maintain their lanes on run plays will be extremely important as well.
Tackles
The tackles will be interesting watches up and down the roster, but make sure you don’t stop paying attention once Daryl Williams and Matt Kalil leave the field. Williams and Kalil need to be able to provide a nice pocket for quarterback Derek Anderson, who needs time to make his reads and isn’t as mobile as regular starter Cam Newton, so how they handle the edge rushers will be important, as well as whether they can hold blocks to open up holes for both Christian McCaffrey and Jonathan Stewart. Amini Silatolu had trouble last week and in practice against speed rushers on the outside, so he’ll need to improve his footwork and fundamentals to handle the outside. On the other side, Taylor Moton looked great in his preseason debut and he’ll look to continue that momentum.
Fullbacks
Last week, neither Alex Armah nor Darrel Young got much playing time, so it will be interesting to see if the Panthers use more formations that utilize the fullback. When they do get on the field, keep on eye on how they handle blitzers if they stay back in protection and how they get to the second level on run plays. If they don’t get on the field (especially if they’re not on special teams), that might be another step towards constructing a roster without a fullback.
