Players to Watch: Panthers at Atlanta
The Carolina Panthers are riding high after a victory against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but that high needs to end quickly. Carolina travels to Atlanta for an important divisional matchup against the Falcons that will see the winner in first place in the division midway through the season.
Here are your players to watch.
Carolina's Players to Watch
Quarterback: PJ Walker
PJ Walker is coming off an out of body experience. He stepped onto that field as a third-string quarterback fighting for his job and he walked off it as the Carolina Panthers' starting quarterback for the foreseeable future.
It's objectively one of the best stories in the NFL thus far.
Can he keep the train rolling against a vulnerable Falcons' defense?
Joe Burrow and the Bengals eviscerated the Falcons to the tune of 459 passing yards and three touchdowns through the air last week. Now, they are missing potential All-Pro defensive back AJ Terrell and that's good news for Walker, DJ Moore, and this other Panthers receiver.
Wide Receiver: Terrace Marshall Jr.
Marshall was a highly touted second round pick from LSU in the 2021 draft. It's safe to say that he hasn't lived up to the potential that he came into the league with.
Now, Marshall has the chance to break out and make an impact on a team that suddenly finds itself competing for the division crown. Christian McCaffrey and Robbie Anderson are gone, leaving a massive void in targets for someone on Carolina to fill, and Marshall has that opportunity.
Marshall's ability to make an impact could give Carolina the weapon across from DJ Moore they've been searching for.
Defensive Tackle: Derrick Brown
Brown has been a revelation for the Panthers thus far. There was a large number of fans that wanted Brown to be traded last offseason, but the Panthers faith in the former top-ten pick has paid off in spades.
Brown has been dominant in the trenches in both the passing and running games. The trip to Atlanta will be won in the trenches, and Brown will need to play large role if the Panthers plan on winning that phase of the ball game.
Atlanta's Players to Watch
Tight End: Kyle Pitts
Arthur Smith has completely zapped Pitts' value as a big-time stat sheet stuffer (fantasy players, lament), but he is still a top 1% athlete every single time he steps onto an NFL football field. Pitts has game-breaking potential and he can score touchdowns from anywhere.
In last seasons matchup in Atlanta, Stephon Gilmore erased Kyle Pitts from the game plan. However, today, the Panthers are missing some key players in the secondary and I wouldn't be surprised if Pitts or wide receiver Drake London found a way to get loose on a big play or two.
Defensive End: Grady Jarrett
Grady Jarrett is a dominant, game-wrecking defensive end. Jarrett is top-20 in the league in sacks with 4.5 and he's going to test Ickey Ekwonu and Taylor Moton this afternoon.
The Panthers' pass-protection unit has been dominant, but they'll face a stiff test from Jarrett in Atlanta. However, that's a test that Carolina has passed many, many times.
In thirteen career games against the Panthers, Grady Jarrett has one sack. One of the elite pass rushers in the NFL gets shut down every time he faces Carolina. If the Panthers can keep Grady Jarrett's face on a milk carton having Falcons fans missing him, they'll be in good shape to walk away from Sunday with the division crown in their hands.
