4 keys to victory for the Panthers against the Bucs in Week 2
By Dean Jones
What are some of the keys to an improbable victory for the Carolina Panthers when they take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 2?
It won’t be long before we find out just what sort of adjustments the Carolina Panthers have made following their Week 1 loss.
Their opening weekend game against the Las Vegas Raiders was a tale of two sides of the ball. The Carolina Panthers managed to move the ball efficiently on offense throughout the contest. But things looked far less promising on the defensive side that eventually cost them down the stretch.
This was a steep learning curve for a new-look roster and a coaching staff who were calling their first NFL game. Things will not get any easier at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and it remains to be seen whether they can cope in the face of some sustained pressure from a genuine Super Bowl contender.
New head coach Matt Rhule is going up against the most successful quarterback in NFL history in terms of Super Bowl victories. Tom Brady did have a shaky debut for the Bucs after a landmark move from the New England Patriots and he will not want to suffer the same fate on his first home start at Raymond James Stadium.
The Panthers clearly have their work cut out despite the absence of stud wide receiver Chris Godwin, who misses the game after failing to make it out of the concussion protocol. They are missing Kawann Short and Yetur Gross-Matos, which is a big blow. But nobody is expecting them to get anything close to a victory and this should allow them to express themselves a little more.
Let’s take a look at some of the keys to victory for the Panthers, however unlikely that may be.