The Panthers were built for the challenge of the Buccaneers

The Panthers were built for days like Sunday.

It’s always good to think ahead. Such was the case for the Carolina Panthers during the off-season as they looked to improve their team. Not only were they looking to make the team better, they built the team with the goal of stopping their divisional opponents.

In hindsight, this statement makes sense. However, teams often build with the goal of trying to be the best, rather than planning for their opponents. The Carolina Panthers did the exact opposite. As the season progresses, it is safe to say that when firing on all cylinders, the Carolina Panthers possess one of the most talented teams in football. Prior to the season, they knew they had to make moves in order to keep up with the talent in the NFC South as noted by Steve Taranto of 247Sports.

"“The first thing we looked at when Marty (Hurney) and I talked about (the Draft) last year was ‘How do we match up in our division?'”, said Rivera. “How do we match up with Tampa Bay? How do we match up with Atlanta? How do we match up with New Orleans? Those are the things that you have to think about.”"

Much like Atlanta and New Orleans, Tampa Bay possesses big-play receivers that will make defenses pay for either not covering well or not getting to the quarterback fast enough. It is easy to see how the Panthers executed their offseason strategy. Cornerbacks like rookie Donte Jackson play physical football and have the speed to be able to go toe-to-toe with some of the biggest deep threats. That’s what you’re going to get with receivers like DeSean Jackson and Mike Evans. Together, they possess a one-two punch that is difficult to defend.

More from Cat Crave

We all know what Evans can do. That was on display last Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals. He is currently fifth in the National Football League with 770 receiving yards on the year. After struggling a bit last year, Jackson has really found a rhythm and has been able to do the things the Buccaneers acquired him for. He is second on the team only to Evans with 26 catches for 594 yards and four touchdowns. These are two receivers that can stretch the field with ease, and are big-play receivers in every sense of the word. They can outrun you, they can outleap you, and they can find the red zone in their sleep.

Per statistics from Pro football Focus , Jackson is ninth overall in offensive ranking. With a mark of 85.4, that is the highest ever to this point in his career. To put it simply, he is on a hot streak not seen since his days in Philadelphia. Evans currently has a No. 10 overall offensive ranking. With a mark of 84.9, that is his highest mark since 2016. That year, he had a mark of 91.7 and was one of the most productive receivers in the National Football League. Evans has been a steady mark of consistency ever since he entered the pro ranks.

The Carolina Panthers secondary should be ready. If you take away one option, that leaves the other one open for business. Ryan Fitzpatrick can throw the football. He may not always be accurate, but with these two receivers you do not necessarily need to be. You can just throw it up, and have them try to make a play. That certainly plays into what Fitzpatrick does best so the Panthers need to be ready for that. If they aren’t, it could be a long day.

Next. Three bold predictions against Buccaneers. dark

They should have no problem doing so. After all, it’s what they were built for.

For more grades, advanced statistics and more at Pro Football Focus, subscribe
to PFF’s EDGE or ELITE subscriptions at ProFootballFocus.com.

Home/Carolina Panthers News