Inside the Numbers: Carolina Panthers vs Denver Broncos

It will be a battle of 4-8 teams this Sunday at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte when the Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos kickoff at 1 p.m. Although neither team is in the conversation for the playoffs, both teams are looking to finish the final four games of the season on a strong note.

Let's dive into the numbers and see which team has the advantage.

When the Panthers have the ball

Panthers Offense	Stats	Broncos Defense
354.8 (20th)	Total YPG/Yards Allowed	350.2 (14th)
106.4 (20th)	Rushing YPG/Allowed	131.5 (26th)
4.20 (16th)	Rushing Yards Per Att/Allowed	4.56 (23rd)
248.4 (14th)	Passing YPG/Allowed	218.7 (8th)
22 (T-12th)	Sacks Allowed/Sacks	32 (T-8th)
40.7 (20th)	3rd Down Efficiency	38.9 (12th)
23.3 (21st)	Points Per Game/Allowed	26.7 (21st)

If the Carolina Panthers are able to have running back Christian McCaffrey (shoulder/thigh) back in the lineup this week, it will give Carolina a huge advantage. The Broncos have had a tough time slowing down opposing running backs and although Mike Davis can do damage on the ground in his own right, McCaffrey could have a field day against this unit. Regardless of who takes the majority of the carries at running back, they will need to play big and take the pressure off of Teddy Bridgewater. Despite not having feared pass rusher Von Miller, the Broncos have done a tremendous job of getting to the quarterback and also have played well in the back end in coverage. Teddy is going to have to pick his spots against this secondary, but can't afford to hold onto the ball too long. For the Panthers to win this game, they will need to establish the ground game and get the ball out of Bridgewater's hands quickly.

Advantage: Broncos defense

When the Broncos have the ball

Broncos Offense	Stats	Panthers Defense
325.6 (25th)	Total YPG/Yards Allowed	364.3 (20th)
118.9 (12th)	Rushing YPG/Allowed	115.1 (15th)
4.40 (14th)	Rushing Yards Per Att/Allowed	4.57 (24th)
206.7 (26th)	Passing YPG/Allowed	249.3 (19th)
24 (T-14th)	Sacks Allowed/Sacks	18 (T-26th)
37.6 (28th)	3rd Down Efficiency	51.3 (31st)
18.8 (31st)	Points Per Game/Allowed	25.0 (16th)

Denver QB Drew Lock has had an up and down start to his career, but the front office seems to have a lot of confidence in him and it's easy to see why. He can make just about every throw, he has great zip on his passes and can really launch the deep ball. Decision making and awareness are two areas of his game the Broncos are hoping to continue to develop so in the meantime, they too will need to lean on the rushing attack in this game. Melvin Gordon and Phillip Lindsay form arguably the best running back tandem across the entire NFL and could give Carolina fits. They are both dynamic playmakers that can attribute to the passing game as well, so Carolina is going to have to constantly pay attention to where these guys are at all times.

The deciding factor in this game might just be who gets off the field more on 3rd downs. Carolina's defense has really struggled on 3rd downs all season long but luckily, Denver has had a lot of trouble converting them. Something has to give here and it could help determine the outcome of the game.

Advantage: Panthers defense

Prediction: Panthers 20, Broncos 13

This has all the makings for a low-scoring affair. Both teams struggle to move the ball efficiently and both rank toward the bottom of the league in points per game.I think Carolina has a small edge playing at home, albeit in front of a small crowd, and will come out with the win.

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