Carolina Panthers: 5 bold predictions vs Jets in Week 1
By Brian Lane
Carolina Panthers Week 1 bold prediction No. 4: The defense forces three turnovers
After spending the entire 2020 draft on the defensive side of the football, the Carolina Panthers used their number eight overall pick on South Carolina cornerback Jaycee Horn. Paired with the additions of Haasan Reddick, DaQuan Jones, Morgan Fox, and AJ Bouye, the Panthers’ defense is expected to take a huge step forward in their progression.
In year two under Phil Snow, we have already seen in preseason action, the Panthers will be displaying a lot more pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Jeremy Chinn, the 2020 second-round pick, has found a permanent home at safety and will be used all over the field once again.
The Jets had the second overall pick for a reason and used that pick on BYU quarterback, Zach Wilson. He has flashed in the preseason, but the regular season is a different beast. Many of the looks he saw in the preseason are not the type of defenses he will see in the regular season.
The Panthers will look to make the rookie quarterback as uncomfortable as possible with several blitz looks and different defensive formations. Brian Burns and Haasan Reddick should provide plenty of pass rush from both edge positions, with DaQuan Jones and 2020 first-round pick, Derrick Brown, providing the pressure up the middle.
The Panthers will be displaying a lot of pressure on the rookie quarterback, coupled with what I anticipate to be a lot of passing attempts from Wilson. Carolina should see plenty of opportunities to get the ball out on their pass rush and the opportunity to pick off Wilson when feeling that pressure.