Keys to the Game: Panthers vs. Giants
Fresh off a controversial 26-24 loss to the Browns last week, the Panthers find themselves heading into a Week 2 matchup in East Rutherford against the New York Giants. There was good, bad, and plenty of ugly last week, but the Panthers head into this matchup with a chance to get back to .500 and prove that last week was just some Week 1 jitters. Here are the keys to doing that:
Establish McCaffrey Early
Christian McCaffrey was essentially a non-factor for the majority of last week’s game. In the first half, he saw five touches- three on the ground, two in the air- that amassed a grand total of 11 yards. This was part of the same half of football that started punt, punt, punt, interception, punt for the Carolina offense. That type of passiveness is getting the ball to the Panthers’ star running back won’t get things done moving forward.
It is obvious that the offensive line still has some kinks to work out, namely the pressure allowed off the edge last week and the four botched snaps between Mayfield and center Pat Elflein. The offense definitely struggled to find a rhythm until the 4th quarter in large part because of these issues.
To mitigate some of these potential missteps happening again in Week 2, Offensive Coordinator- and former Giants Head Coach- Ben McAdoo would be well served to draw up the offense some higher percentage looks early, and Christian McCaffrey is the first place to look in doing so.
Allowing the All-Pro running back more opportunities to make plays in space early can help create a rhythm that the offense severely lacked. With a receiving ability that rivals many of the league’s best pass catchers, a focus on CMC can alleviate some of the pass rush pressure the team had such a hard time dealing with in Week 1. McCaffrey’s first half workload this weekend is definitely a number to monitor.
Limit Saquon Barkley
The Panthers were absolutely gashed on the ground by Cleveland in Week 1. Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt combined for 187 yards on 33 rushing attempts, averaging an impressive 5.7 YPC. Even though Cleveland was struggling to move the ball through the air, the rushing attack was able to make up for it and move the chains consistently.
Against the Giants, the Panthers' defense now finds themselves matchup up against reigning NFC Offensive Player of the Week, Saquon Barkley. The now-healthy running back recorded an impressive 164 rushing yards on 18 attempts (9.1 YPC) against the Titans in Week 1, also chipping in another 30 yards on 6 catches through the air.
Given these numbers, the offensive game plan will be pretty clear for the Giants. Run, run, run some more, and then run again. If the Panthers hope to rebound from last week’s disappointing loss, limiting Barkley’s impact will be of the utmost importance.
Prove the Pass Rush is There
The Panthers' defense had just one sack and four tackles for loss in Week 1. Tallying just the lone sack, provided courtesy of Damien Wilson, was indicative of a defense that is severely missing Haason Reddick, who signed with the Eagles this offseason. Reddick’s 11 sacks last season were instrumental in the defense’s success in pressuring opposing QBs last season, and it looks like Carolina is missing him dearly.
Defensive Coordinator Phil Snow is going to have to get creative. Burns won’t be able to do it all himself, not to mention the fact that offenses are definitely going to be keying in on him more than ever. Whether it’s Frankie Luvu stepping up, Jeremy Chinn getting some of those creative chess-piece looks, or the interior lineman busting up the pocket, something is going to have to improve drastically in the Panthers have any hopes of creating some uncomfortable looks for opponents this season.
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