4 sneaky threats the Panthers should watch vs. the Bucs in Week 10
By Dean Jones
Jordan Whitehead – S
There has been plenty of attention on rookie safety Antoine Winfield Jr. after a tremendous start to life at the next level. But Jordan Whitehead is another talented individual on the backend who can make game-altering plays.
The third-year-pro now seems fully acclimatized to the NFL if his performances this season are any indication. Whitehead already has 30 combined tackles, eight tackles for loss, three quarterback hits, one forced fumble, and two sacks to his name in 2020. So whenever there is a sniff of the player approaching the second level, quarterback Teddy Bridgewater needs to adjust the play accordingly.
Whether Carolina’s offensive line can stop him is another matter entirely.
One thing that really stands out when examining Whitehead on film is his timing. The Bucs aren’t afraid to bring him on blitz packages and his ability to pick apart protection quickly has been eye-catching, to say the least.
The Carolina Panthers need to move the ball effectively in the passing game without Christian McCaffrey. There could be some joy to be had for D.J. Moore, Robby Anderson, and Curtis Samuel against Tampa Bay’s cornerbacks, but they will be met by physicality from their safety tandem that clearly has the world at their feet.