The Arizona Cardinals and Carolina Panthers, who meet in Week 3, are both seek their first win of the season, although the vibe around both teams seems to be quite different. Arizona is 0-1-1, and there is a feeling of optimism. Carolina is 0-2 and there is a bad vibe, especially with the health of starting quarterback Cam Newton, who will miss the game this week.
As we get ready for the game, Panthers Wire managing editor Tim Weaver answered a few questions to preview the game.
What type of QB is Kyle Allen? How will the offense change with him in the lineup over Cam Newton?
It’s tough to say what kind of QB he is because frankly we don’t have much to go on. For what it’s worth, he looked sharp Week 17 against the Saints last year, which was the team’s only win in the last 10 games. However, he struggled in the preseason, so it’s difficult to know what to expect. I’m guessing that he may be able to open up the deep pass more, though. He hit Curtis Samuel for a very long touchdown in 2018, and Newton has been inaccurate in this part of the game for a while, so that could be something Norv Turner will want to reintegrate.
What exactly has plagued the Panthers in their first two games of the season, and is it a carryover from how things finished last season?
Several things — the main one is Newton’s health just not being there, which obviously makes everything harder. Poor pass protection, especially at left tackle, has also carried over. Missed tackles were a major problem last season, and they were a significant issue at least Week 1 against the Rams’ running backs.
Who are the players to watch for the Panthers, both on offense and defense?
Especially with Newton out, the Panthers will likely be running things through Christian McCaffrey, who has become the nucleus of the offense. He’s obviously a terrific receiver for a running back, but he doesn’t get enough credit for his ability to break tackles and add on yards after contact. He’s really a complete back — so complete that he hasn’t missed a single offensive snap yet. On defense, Luke Kuechly is still in the center of everything, but the front line has been revamped and upgraded. They’re mixing up the fronts more, and the addition of Gerald McCoy has given them a really nasty defensive line, at least on paper.
Who are the new faces (draft, FA) and how are they doing?
First-round pick Brian Burns has been fairly impressive. He’s got tremendous speed off the edge and, like Von Miller, knows how to use his leverage to get around bigger offensive linemen. We haven’t seen much of the rest of the rookies. Second-rounder Greg Little has been out with a concussion but he’s available and may get in at left tackle if Daryl Williams gets abused by Chandler Jones early on.
What would a potential loss mean for the Panthers? Would it lead to changes?
Some teams can come back from an 0-2 hole. 0-3 is obviously a huge hole, and it’s impossible to see this team as presently constructed coming back from that and making the playoffs. You have to go back even further — if not for that Kyle Allen win over the Saints when they were resting a lot of their important players, then they’d be on a 10-game losing streak. Ron Rivera has to be feeling the pressure. A loss on Sunday might not necessarily get him fired, but he doesn’t have much wiggle room left at all.
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