The Carolina Panthers will square off against the New England Patriots in another preseason affair on Friday, August 24th. This likely will be the last chance to give the starters some game reps before the regular season kicks off in a few weeks. The Panthers (like most teams) have historically rested their starters in the fourth and final week of preseason which will come next week. This is a rematch of a 2017 regular season game in which the Panthers went into Foxboro and stunned the Patriots 33-30.
Carolina Panthers-New England Patriots Preview
About the Patriots
Likewise to the Panthers, the former AFC champions have begun the preseason 2-0. The team’s offense has put in two solid performances, scoring 26 and 37 points respectively. Similar to the Panthers, New England suffered a major offensive line injury when first-round pick Isaiah Wynn tore his Achilles during last week’s preseason game. Expect the Patriots to give their starters a good amount of playing time and also try to find a stable tackle replacement for Wynn.
What to Watch for
Panthers Offensive Line Depth
With the recent news of Matt Kalil’s injury, the Panthers offensive line seems to be in shambles. This is the third injury to their offensive line, including both projected starters at the tackle positions. It now means that young players have to step up into new roles in order to keep Cam Newton upright. One specific player to keep an eye on is second-year tackle Taylor Moton. Moton has shown flashes of brilliance in his young career but will have his hands full with New England’s top pass rushers. However, if Moton can put together another strong outing, Ron Rivera should have full confidence in sending his sophomore tackle out there with the starters.
Another player that should be in the spotlight against the Patriots is veteran Jeremiah Sirles. Sirles, the former Minnesota Viking, was originally signed for guard depth this off-season. Now he is being asked to step up at right tackle for the injured Kalil. It will be very interesting to see who steps up with all of the absences and whether or not the Panthers can find replacements at a much-needed position.
A Mess in the Secondary
An already thin and inexperienced secondary took a hit when the Panthers lost veteran cornerback Ross Cockrell to injury a few weeks ago. Through the rest of camp and the first two preseason games, it’s been difficult to watch and figure out how the back end of the defense will survive in 2018. To make things worse, Tom Brady is coming to town and this will be a telling game to see if the secondary will break or not. Watch for young safety Rashaan Gaulden and second-year cornerback Corn Elder in this game as they look to have increasingly important roles in this year’s defense.
How Will D.J. Moore respond?
Rookie wide receiver D.J. Moore had a very uneventful performance on the field against Miami last week. However, he was still very much in the news thanks to the release of a police report that showed Moore was charged for recklessly driving 113 mph in a 65 mph work zone on August 10th. It will be intriguing to see how the young player bounces back from both the performance and the distraction that was announced. Moore, who has drawn comparisons to Panthers great, Steve Smith, will have all eyes on him by fans to see if he was worthy of the first round selection in this past NFL draft. However, this is not the start Moore was hoping for and he will look to get back on track against the Patriots this week.
Predictions
Best Case Scenario
The Panthers makeshift offensive line keeps Cam Newton protected and shows that it may not be as rough as it looks. The defense also keeps Tom Brady in check and limits the Patriots passing game.
Worst Case Scenario
The Panthers secondary continues to get exposed and the cornerbacks can’t stick with the Patriots wide receivers. More injuries hit the offensive line to the point where outside reinforcements are needed.
Score Prediction: The Panthers will continue their winning ways with a 31-27 victory over the Patriots.
Offensive MVP: Cameron Artis-Payne (12 carries, 75 yards and one touchdown)
Defensive MVP: Vernon Butler (3 tackles. 2 QB pressures, and one sack)
