The Carolina Panthers are coming off the most eventful bye week of their 25-year history. In what seems to be a physical manifestation of the changing of the guard that has taken place under new owner David Tepper, the Panthers signed the politically polarizing (and extremely talented) safety Eric Reid.
Not only were the Panthers able to sign away the best player available in free agency from their safety-deprived division rivals, but they also were able to gain ground in the NFC South following losses by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons. Carolina now sits in sole possession of second place in the division, one-half game behind the New Orleans Saints. The Saints took down the New York Giants on Sunday in the Meadowlands, where running back Alvin Kamara had an absolute field day. Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey will look to replicate his divisional counterpart’s performance this Sunday against that same Giants defense. The good news for McCaffrey? The Panthers are adding some firepower back to their offense this week.
The most exciting development of all comes from the Monday practice injury report in Carolina. Several key offensive players became full participants after a rejuvenating bye week and are expected to return to the field this Sunday.
Eric Reid, Other Key Players to Return for Carolina
The Panthers offense should be receiving much-needed reinforcements this Sunday. According to this week’s injury reports, guard Trai Turner along with wide receivers Curtis Samuel and Damiere Byrd have been full participants.
Curtis Samuel is an exciting piece to add to this offense. Having appeared in only nine games last season, fans don’t know what to expect when it comes to Samuel’s usage and production. One thing is for certain, Norv Turner has been chomping at the bit to get Curtis back on the field and will look to utilize his speed early and often. There has been a lot of camp/practice chatter about how good Samuel looks. Hopefully on Sunday fans will get to see it firsthand, especially considering how well the offensive line has played of late.
Trai Turner returned to practice after sustaining his second concussion in as many years. Turner has proved to be a reliable pass protector and an absolute mauler in the run game and is arguably the best offensive lineman on the roster. Returning an anchor like Turner to a line that is already playing outstanding football should go a long way for Cam Newton and the offense.
Damiere Byrd will make more of an impact on special teams than he will on the offensive side of the ball, but the impact will be felt. Byrd averaged just under 16 yards per punt return last season and provided a spark on a great return in week one against the Cowboys. Rookie wide receiver DJ Moore has looked lost returning kicks and punts in Byrd’s absence. Not only can this provide a boost to special teams play, but could also help lessen the load for Moore and allow him to play more confidently and comfortably on offense.
Damiere Byrd flying for 6! pic.twitter.com/cBoEAc0QMR
— uSTADIUM (@uSTADIUM) December 24, 2017
Good vibes all around the Panthers injury situation got even better when news broke that tight end Greg Olsen is way ahead of the curve in the recovery of his broken foot. Olsen has begun to run on the side and catch balls during practice. It’s possible the Panthers could be getting their top receiving threat back by week six.
Old Family Reunion
Some familiar faces will be returning to Bank of America Stadium this weekend. Former Panthers General Manager Dave Gettleman, who helped the Panthers climb out of cap hell and all the way to their second Super Bowl berth, was hired to the same position in New York this past offseason. Unfortunately, Gettleman was diagnosed with lymphoma shortly after beginning his tenure with the Giants.
According to sources around the team, Gettleman has made tremendous progress throughout his treatment and is slowly but surely returning to health. This is great news, and we wish the best for Mr. Gettleman. The man who brought “Hog Mollies” to Carolina will always be appreciated in these parts. As we’ve seen with the Buffalo Bills, former Panthers front office personnel like to bring some pieces with them in an attempt to replicate their successes in Charlotte.
Former Panthers offensive coordinator Mike Shula, like Gettleman, also took the same position in New York after losing his job in Carolina. Most Panthers fans will be excited to see this guy in the opposite booth on Sunday. Unfortunately, Shula won’t be able to force feed running back Jonathan Stewart this weekend, like he did so often in Carolina.
Carolina released longtime Panthers great Jonathan Stewart after ten fantastic years with the franchise. Stewart was picked up shortly after by his old offensive coordinator. It would have been a joy to see Luke Kuechly line up across from Stewart, but unfortunately, after a week three-foot injury, he was placed on injured reserve. Nonetheless, if he is able to make the trip, it’ll be great to see J-Stew back in Bank of America Stadium.
Containing Giants Superstars
The Panthers defense looks to have their hands full facing a Giants offense which boasts two superstars in Odell Beckham Jr. and Saquon Barkley. Also, not to mention an experienced, Super Bowl-winning quarterback in Eli Manning. Although Manning is a shell of his former self, the threat of Beckham in the air and Barkley on the ground is enough to keep this defense on their toes.
The Panthers last met the Giants back in 2015. The Panthers were on their way to winning the NFC, in large part to breakout superstar cornerback Josh Norman. Norman battled it out with Odell Beckham all game, both getting into altercations and drawing flags on multiple plays. It was a hell of a matchup to watch between two passionate players known for their trash talk. This time around, Norman is long gone from the Panthers and Beckham will find a different matchup shadowing him throughout.
Enter third-year cornerback James Bradberry. A player considered by most to be the anti-Josh Norman when it comes to his conservative play style and soft-spoken demeanor. Bradberry is looking to have a breakout season himself, and through three games, he seems to be on pace for a career year.
Bradberry was able to help shut down Dak Prescott and the Cowboys through the air in week one, where the Panthers defense only conceded 170 passing yards. This was a game where the Cowboys’ number one option on the outside, Allen Hurns, finished with one catch for 20 yards.
In week two, Bradberry held all-world wide receiver Julio Jones to 60 yards on just five receptions. However, 30 of these yards came on a circus catch that not many wide receivers that aren’t named Julio Jones could have made.
To follow up this great performance, Bradberry faced another elite wideout in the Bengals’ AJ Green in week three. Although Green left in the third quarter with an injury, Bradberry held him to 58 yards on five receptions.
This is what you want out of a number one cornerback: shutting down the opposing team’s best option. Bradberry seems to have come a long way from his sophomore slump and will have a chance to show what he is truly capable of this week when he guards another one of the game’s elite receivers in Odell Beckham Jr.
James Bradberry breaks up the in route, the ball gets tipped and Efe Obada gets the present pic.twitter.com/UF8dBR9NNM
— Sean Ryan (@PoundEmPanthers) September 25, 2018
Saquon Barkley is making a statement just four games into his career. That statement is that he is the real deal, and there really is no way to refute that. Barkley, from a pure talent standpoint, simply has the ability to take a game over.
Through four games, Barkley has amassed a 113 total yards per game clip with three touchdowns. He’s made a big impact in the passing game with 27 receptions on the season. Barkley was able to put up 106 yards and a touchdown against a stout Jacksonville defense in week one, but he hasn’t faced a high caliber run defense since. In 2017, the Panthers finished with the third best mark in the NFL when it came to opponent rushing yards per game at 85.3. With one of the best front sevens in the game and the addition of safety Eric Reid, this will be a fun matchup to watch from all angles.
Eric Reid
The Panthers weren’t the only team in the NFC South with a dire need for a safety, but they were the only ones willing to put bullshit aside to make their team better. On the surface, the decision to sign pro bowl safety Eric Reid was a great football move. The Panthers couldn’t continue to start special teamer Colin Jones at safety and expect to compete against the slate of quarterbacks they face this season. The Panthers’ acquisitions and emergences as of late (see Efe Obada) have created a sense that the defense is even better than it was on paper coming out of training camp.
From a football standpoint this move was obvious, which begs the question as to why so many teams passed on such a talented player who could have helped them win football games? It’s honestly mind-boggling, but Panthers fans should be proud that their team was brave and willing to jump the facade of a social boundary that should never have manifested in the first place.
Jerry Richardson’s Panthers would be stubbornly looking on to a season with Colin Jones solidified as a starter, but not David Tepper’s Panthers. Hopefully, this move is able to inspire a wave of progressive thinking across the NFL, although sadly enough, this current legion of owners will not be influenced by anything that could divide a fan base or diminish revenue. Maybe Reid’s impending jersey sales will help a team in need of a quarterback decide to sign Colin Kaepernick.
Worst Case Scenario:
Mike Shula wakes up Thursday morning realizing its 2018 and decides to implement some modern schemes to his 1920’s offense. Mike is also introduced to the terms “situational awareness” and “proper player utilization” and quickly reconsiders his entire career. Barkley and the Giants are able to run wild over the Panthers. Eli proves why David Gettleman was right to ignore drafting a signal caller in the best QB draft of this century, dropping dimes all over the field just like the old days. Remember? No? He was good at some point right? Super bowls?
The players returning from injury disturb the newfound chemistry of the Panthers offense, as Norv tries too hard to get Curtis Samuel involved. DJ Moore continues to be a non-factor while Calvin Ridley tears it up again for the Falcons. Eric Reid looks like he hasn’t played football since last January. Cam Newton, dripping with swag, gets some on the ball and struggles to grip it from that point on. By the time the swag has dripped and dried, it’s too late for Carolina.
Best Case Scenario:
Curtis Samuel comes back with a vengeance and becomes a legitimate downfield threat for a team that needs one. Torrey Smith only has one false start penalty. The Panthers offense continues to look better and better and is able to step on a bad team’s throat early in the fourth quarter.
Eli is still somehow the second-best Manning in the NFL. Eric Reid injects life into the back end of this secondary, which is shockingly beginning to look like a strong point. Donte Jackson baits Odell Beckham into multiple personal foul calls and eventually gets him tossed from the game. Thereafter he demands a trade to Carolina. Cam Newton shines thru the shade.
Bolded Predictions:
Score: Panthers 33 Giants 13
Offensive MVP: Christian McCaffrey (128 yards rushing, 50 yards receiving, 2 total touchdowns)
Defensive MVP: Mario Addison (4 sacks, 2 forced fumbles on strip sacks)
Main photo:
Embed from Getty Images
