Carolina Panthers Defensive Keys to Victory vs Saints
The Carolina Panthers' defense played well against the Chicago Bears last week but ultimately fell short by a final score of 23-16. This week they take on the division rival New Orleans Saints. Second place in the NFC South division is on the line as both teams are looking for their fourth win of the season. While it's too early to start thinking about the postseason, this game could go a long way in convincing fans and the media that Carolina is a serious contender.
Here are our three keys to the game for the Panthers' defense:
Swarm Alvin Kamara
The Saints will be without wide receivers Michael Thomas (ankle/hamstring) and Emmanuel Sanders (COVID-19 list) for Sunday's game. That leaves running back Alvin Kamara as the only game-breaking player that New Orleans will suit up in the week seven matchup. Kamara has to be the center of attention for Carolina. Kamara is great in the running game but he might even be better in the passing game. Much like Christian McCaffrey, Kamara can destroy a defense when he gets the ball in open space. Kamara leads all running backs by a large margin with 395 receiving yards which is almost double what the second-place running back has. Expect the Panthers to use rookie Jeremy Chinn to help out the linebackers in covering the versatile running back. This could be a tall task.
Get off the field on third downs
The Bears were 7-for-14 on third downs last week against the Panthers' defense. Carolina must do better at getting off the field against the Saints. Chicago does not have a high-powered offense like the Saints do. New Orleans will put up more than just 23 points if they are able to convert 50% of their third-down attempts. Luckily, quarterback Drew Brees will be without his top weapons on third and long plays. The one mismatch player that could get open is tight end, Jared Cook. The Panthers must make sure to account for him at key moments in the game.
Create a turnover
The two teams that have beaten the Saints this year are the Las Vegas Raiders and the Green Bay Packers. Both teams had to score over 30 points to do so. The Panthers' offense is not build to score over 30 points consistently. In order to do so, they will probably need a turnover or two to create a short field and easy scoring opportunities. Carolina has done a good job of creating some turnovers this year. It won't be an easy task against Drew Brees who is historically one of the most accurate passers in NFL history.
You can follow us for future coverage by clicking "Follow" on the top righthand corner of the page. Also, be sure to like us on Facebook & Twitter:
Facebook - @PanthersOnSI
Twitter - @SI_Panthers and Josh Altorfer at @jaltorfer1.
