Here's How the Cardinals Can Defeat the Panthers

Here's a blueprint of how the Arizona Cardinals can defeat the Carolina Panthers come Sunday.

Author:
Andrew Harbaugh
Publish date:
Sep 29, 2022 6:10 PM EDT

In this story:

Arizona Cardinals

Both teams are limp into Week 4 as the Arizona Cardinals face the Carolina Panthers. The Cardinals come into the game just struggling to find an offensive identity as the Panthers come in just looking for a win.

The Panthers coaching staff led by Matt Rhule is on the hot seat, which could be a preview of things to come in Arizona.

For Arizona, this can be a big win, should they lock it down on both sides of the ball. The offense needs a big game (that’s a very real possibility against this defense) and the defense needs a kick-start.

Both of those have the potential to happen but this coaching staff needs to have executed a great week of practice and game installs.

If the Cardinals can’t bring a win with them on the flight home, they head into a four-game stretch of facing the Eagles, Seahawks, Saints, and Vikings. A very real possibility is they go 1-3 in that stretch, the best could be 2-2. That would put them at the near halfway point of the season with a record of 2-5.

A 3-4 record doesn’t seem like that much better but it could make a huge difference down the stretch in a tough NFC West. There is a game plan that allows them to get a win this weekend though, as it should be one of the easiest ones they have all season:

How Arizona Can Defeat Carolina

There has to be a Pass Rush in Place

Two sacks in three games is beyond bad: it’s downright unprofessional.

The Cardinals are tied with the Raiders with two sacks on the year but the difference between these two teams is if the NFL Draft was today, the Raiders would be picking first. No one should want to share any stats with the Raiders as they sit at the bottom of the league.

This team needs to try something new with the pass rush if they are to cause problems for this Panthers offense. If Baker Mayfield has time, he can find the skill players that the team has surrounded him with.

D.J. Moore is primed for a breakout game this season, and it can’t come against the Cardinals.

Let Kyler Murray Script the Opening

Former Cardinals head coach and future Hall of Famer Bruce Arians talked in his book about letting his quarterbacks start the game the way they wanted. What does that mean? Arians would let his quarterbacks script the opening 15-to-20 plays so they could get into their own rhythm.

Kingsbury is known as a coach to come out the gates hot, which couldn’t be further from the truth this year. They need to change something and perhaps letting Kyler Murray get creative on his own is the trick.

We usually see this in the second half when the game finally starts to go the Cardinals' way, so just imagine the game starting out this way?

Establish the Run, Own the Game of Possession

The Cardinals have not been able to establish the run all season and in tow they have been losing the time of possession battle.

They need to start using James Conner efficiently as well as integrating Eno Benjamin into the fold as well.

Conner is coming off a career year where he earned a contract that is paying him handsomely, maybe you should use him like the bell cow you are paying him to be.

This is a “two birds with one stone” scenario that could play out. Get the ball in Conner’s hands 20-25 times, win the game of possession, and watch the score finally reciprocate a positive outcome with a complete team win.

For more Carolina Panthers news, head to AllPanthers.com!

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