What should we expect from Greg Olsen on Sunday?

After a thrilling week last week, Greg Olsen should be looking to build off that.

Although he did not put up incredible numbers on the stat sheet, Carolina Panthers tight end Greg Olsen made a huge impact against the Eagles. He caught the game-winning touchdown pass that capped off the Panthers comeback. In doing so, he gave fans a reminder of what he is capable of when healthy.

Catching two passes for five yards, a four-yard catch was his longest of the afternoon. With it being his first game back from injury, I did not expect him to do much and the fact that he caught the game-winning touchdown was an added bonus. It was certainly a great warm-up game for a player who is so vital to his team. Now, heading into this week’s contest against the Ravens, it is certainly reasonable to expect him to put together a better performance statistically.

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I am not saying he will go off and catch 10 passes for 100 yards and three touchdowns. However, I do expect a better performance than last Sunday. It wasn’t that he performed bad. I just think that, especially with a game under his belt, he will perform even better this Sunday. Given the fact that he is still healing from his injury, I would not expect him to be in midseason form. However, I think he will catch at least five passes for 25 yards. If he can get at least five yards per catch, I would consider that a successful day.

Because the Carolina Panthers have several weapons that can get the ball down the field, I would expect Greg Olsen’s targets to come moreso in the red zone. On the flipside of that, the Panthers have had trouble getting the ball down the field. In turn, there is always the possibility that Olsen could serve as a “security blanket” for Newton to help him move the ball. One of the best parts about Olsen’s game is that his skill set functions well in many different situations. Whether the Panthers need him for that big touchdown catch or for that big pass down the field, he can do that for them. Combine that with the fact he is a crafty veteran, he truly is tough to stop.

I could see him getting involved early and often. It is always a good idea to get the ball into the hands of your playmakers early and often. Olsen certainly falls into the category of playmaker. Per statistics from Pro Football Focus, Greg Olsen has received an offensive playmaking grade of over 70% in seven of the 12 seasons he has been in the National Football League. As long as he stays healthy, I do not expect that to change anytime soon.

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It will be interesting to see what he does on Sunday. It would be nice to see him get back to his true playmaking form as the Carolina Panthers look to keep pace with the rest of the NFC South.

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