3 reasons the Carolina Panthers can beat the Saints in Week 2
By Luke Tucker
Winston’s track record against the Carolina Panthers
It’s no secret that Jameis Winston has struggled with interceptions in the past, so look for the Carolina Panthers to put pressure on him and force the quarterback into uncomfortable situations early and often.
Statistically, that has worked incredibly well for the Panthers in their past meetings with the former Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 overall draft pick out of Florida State.
Winston is 4-5 against the Panthers in nine career starts, with a dreadful 9-14 touchdown-interception ratio, and has been sacked a whopping 32 times. Not to mention the fact that he has lost six fumbles.
His 20 total turnovers are by far his most against any team, as are the 32 sacks. The numbers are truly laughably bad.
So what should the Panthers do this weekend?
Keep giving him a taste of the same medicine. Winston clearly has struggled against what is typically a strong Carolina pass rush, and the defense racking up six sacks last week, that stout pressure should still be a problem for opposing offenses.
The Green Bay Packers did a poor job of getting to Winston last Sunday, recording zero sacks and just three quarterback hits. New Orleans has a much better offensive line than the New York Jets do, but defensive coordinator Phil Snow should still be ready to unleash Brian Burns and Haason Reddick.
Winston’s arrival in New Orleans is certainly a second-chance opportunity for his NFL career. However, even after a phenomenal first start, it remains to be seen how much he has improved.
If the Panthers’ defensive front can put pressure on him and make the signal-caller move around and out of the pocket, then we could see the Winston of old.