How the Panthers Beat the Texans in Week 8

The Carolina Panthers are still searching for their first win of the season and boy, do they have a great opportunity to secure it this Sunday when the Houston Texans come to town.

Yes, I'm well aware the Texans are 3-3 and own blowout wins over the Jaguars and Steelers. But they also own losses to the Colts and Falcons. This team, for the most part, has exceeded expectations through the first six weeks. As young and thin as they are at a lot of spots, they're going to go through their fair share of ups and downs throughout the year. It's a vulnerable team and one the Panthers can beat.

How will they do it? Here are my three keys to the game for Carolina.

Shut down the ground game

This shouldn't be all that difficult for Carolina. The Texans are 25th in the league in rushing yards per game (88.8). Why is this a key factor? Because the Panthers have had issues defending it all season long and if Houston finds success, it's going to be a long day. Secondly, the Panthers are without Yetur Gross-Matos and could possibly be without Brian Burns (elbow), so it could be a tall order for the front seven to get home.

Don't beat yourself

Penalties have been a big problem for the Panthers this season, but it's the timing of those flags that have really hurt. You can't have false starts inside the opponents 10-yard line or delay of games when you're out of a timeout or change in possession. With Thomas Brown now calling the plays, it should make for a much smoother pre-snap operation from sideline to quarterback.

Ground and pound

With Austin Corbett slated to return at right guard for Carolina, this could mark the start of the Panthers' ground game returning to its late season form from a year ago. Chuba Hubbard has ran the ball extremely well and it's time for Miles Sanders to bust out of his early season slump and get going. Rushing for 140+ yards in this one may seem far-fetched but I think it's doable.

Which Texans Are Ruled Out Against the Panthers? Who is Questionable?

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