The Jacksonville Jaguars and Carolina Panthers will be heading into this week’s game with a ton of momentum, and it could end up being one of the more interesting games on Sunday’s schedule. In a lot of ways, the Panthers are very similar to the Jags, which suggests it will result in a close matchup.
To learn a little bit more about Ron Rivera’s group, we chatted with Panthers Wire managing editor Tim Weaver. Here are five burning questions he was kind enough to answer:
Jags Wire: The Panthers have a lot of key players on the injury report and have even placed some players on injured reserve. Overall, what type of condition do you believe they will be in Sunday?
Tim Weaver: Not good. Kawann Short is already out for the year, and Cam Newton looks like he’s going to miss an extended period of time. There are also a lot of key players on the injury report. The two names they’ll likely miss most are Trai Turner and Greg Little. The offensive line has not done well in pass protection this year, and missing two starters is just going to make things worse. That could be a problem, especially against the Jaguars’ defensive line.
JW: Like Gardner Minshew II, Kyle Allen seems to be a part of a young quarterback movement that is impressing this season. What are your thoughts on him in general?
TW: Allen hasn’t been perfect, but he has shown a lot of poise and confidence for a young quarterback with very little experience. Going back to last season he’s 3-0 as a starter and they’ve all been road games. The one thing he needs to work on the most is ball security — he’s already fumbled five times this year, and it’s been an issue for him throughout his career. If Allen can take better care of the ball and move his feet more in the pocket to avoid pressure, he’ll at least give the Panthers a chance to stay in the game.
JW: Also like the Jags (with Josh Allen), the Panthers have a rookie pass rusher in Brian Burns who has been balling out. In your opinion, how has he been so successful as a rookie pass rusher, which is hard to do in today’s NFL?
TW: It is hard and it’s even rarer for a rookie to come in and dominate right away, but that’s the direction Burns is going in. His speed is the main thing that jumps out. However, Burns also has an impressive number of pass-rushing moves for someone his age. He reminds me a lot of Von Miller in that they both use their leverage very well against bigger linemen. Burns has already collected 2.5 sacks and nine QB hits, and was just named Defensive Rookie of the Month, so he’s definitely on his way to being a real force.
JW: Who is an under-the-radar player to watch on both sides?
TW: On offense the guy who deserves more attention is wide receiver Curtis Samuel. He’s not very big (5-foot-11, 195 pounds) but he’s able to get open through a combination of excellent straight-line speed and sharp route running. When Newton was healthy, they were hooking up on long balls every day in practice.
On defense, the entire secondary has been much improved since last year — perhaps thanks to [defensive backs coach] Perry Fewell. The guy who’s excelled most is cornerback James Bradberry, who has been shutting down the other team’s No. 1 receiver all year.
JW: What are your predictions for the game?
TW: If they were anywhere near 100 percent, I think this would be an easy pick for the Panthers to win, but all the injuries make it more difficult. In the end I think Carolina’s pass defense is just too good for Jacksonville to keep up. Panthers by a field goal.
