Carolina Panthers: Players to watch on offense in Week 4

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SANTA CLARA, CA – SEPTEMBER 10: Jonathan Stewart #28 of the Carolina Panthers staright-arms DeForest Buckner #99 of the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium on September 10, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

Jonathan Stewart

If the Panthers want to win the time of possession battle against the Patriots, it will be up to Jonathan Stewart to move the football on the ground. Even with the addition of Christian McCaffrey, the veteran is still the workhorse of this offense with 45 of the Panthers’ 88 rushing attempts.

Unfortunately for Stewart, defenses are keying in on the run game when he is on the field. According to NFL’s Next Gen Stats, Stewart has faced eight or more in the box on 48.89% of his carries. This is the sixth highest percentage among running backs in the NFL this year.

This is something the coaching staff could use to their advantage with play action when Stewart is in the backfield. The Panthers have not had many big plays through the air this year, with only seven plays going for 20+ yards. If Patriots key on the run, Cam Newton may be able to hit a few passes over the top for big yards.

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