Football is a game of matchups and there will be no lack of great ones this Sunday when the Rams Rams and Panthers square off in the season opener. No matter which team is on offense, there are intriguing one-on-one battles between these two teams.
Some are more important than others, of course, and these five could very well decide the outcome of the game.
LB Cory Littleton vs. RB Christian McCaffrey
This is a critical matchup in the game and one that could determine whether the Rams win or lose. Littleton has had trouble in man coverage against running backs in the past, getting beat fairly often by some of the better receiving backs in the NFL. That’s to be expected, so the Rams shouldn’t put him on an island against McCaffrey – who’s part running back, part wide receiver.
Littleton also has to stuff McCaffrey in the running game, too, which is no easy task. The Panthers offense goes through their young running back and that shouldn’t change this weekend. Littleton has to be on top of his game.
C Brian Allen vs. NT Dontari Poe
Allen has never made a start in the NFL and he’ll be thrown to the fire on Sunday against one of the most athletic nose tackles in football. Poe is going to give Allen fits with his quickness and speed, while also possessing the power you expect from a 3-4 nose tackle.
This is an extremely tough test for the first-year starter in Allen and if he can’t hold his own on the interior, it’s going to be a long day for Jared Goff and Todd Gurley. The Panthers’ defensive front – which features Gerald McCoy, Kawann Short, Brian Burns and Mario Addison – presents a lot of challenges for the Rams offensive line, and double-teaming any of those players will be hard to do.
S Eric Weddle/John Johnson vs. TE Greg Olsen
Olsen remains a focal point in the Panthers offense, providing Cam Newton with a big target between the numbers. Now healthy, Olsen should see his regular playing time and share of looks in the passing game, which puts Weddle and Johnson at the forefront defensively.
Expect both to get some time covering Olsen, with Taylor Rapp possibly factoring into the mix. It’s hard to say which team has the advantage in this matchup, but given the talent Los Angeles has at safety, it might lean the Rams’ way. Weddle and Johnson are just that good.
DT Aaron Donald vs. LG Greg Van Roten
Donald will primarily rush against Van Roten, but he’ll see a lot of help from Daryl Williams and Matt Paradis. The Panthers must send extra blockers Donald’s way because it’s unreasonable to expect Van Roten to lock down the two-time Defensive Player of the Year on his own.
This is clearly a favorable matchup for the Rams and as we’ve seen in the past, Los Angeles typically wins when Donald makes plays in the opposing backfield. Unlike the last two Week 1 games, Donald should have at least one sack against the Panthers this weekend.
WR Brandin Cooks vs. CB Donte Jackson
Jackson has the speed to hang with Cooks on the outside, but that doesn’t mean the Panthers will trust him to cover the Rams wideout all game long. Jackson will get help over the top with one of the safeties because of the speed Cooks possesses and Jared Goff’s desire to push the ball downfield to his receiver.
The Rams have favorable matchups across the board against the Panthers’ corners, so Goff should have some success when given time in the pocket. Don’t be surprised if Cooks is targeted 10-plus times in this one.
