3 Panthers position groups that must step up at the Texans in Week 3

Carolina Panthers coaching staff

David Culley has an offensive background working on that side of the ball exclusively since 1978 with Austin Peay. As the fourth head coach in franchise history, he is a bit of an unknown when it comes to scheme preference.

Flanking him on the Houston Texans are offensive coordinator Tim Kelly and defensive coordinator Lovie Smith. At only 35 years old, Kelley moved from the college ranks in 2014 and has only spent time with this particular organization.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Smith is a well know defensive mind and former NFL Coach of the Year in 2005. This is where scheme, X’s and O’s, and strategy come into the equation as play calling is more closely related to chess than checkers.

The Carolina Panthers have the young, yet talented Joe Brady calling plays with veteran Phil Snow dialing up the defense to shut down explosive schemes that are really catching the eye of late.

Matt Rhule has shown he is not afraid to take chances on fourth and short plays or be more aggressive when appropriate. Games are won or lost on the field, but play calling and scheme can set a team up for success.

If Brady and Snow can outwit Kelly and Smith, we could be in store for a lopsided score in keeping with what’s being predicted by analysts and almost every fan across the country.