What are some keys to victory for the Carolina Panthers in pursuit of their second straight victory against the New England Patriots in Week 9?
It wasn’t pretty, but it didn’t have to be.
The Carolina Panthers dug in for a narrow victory at the Atlanta Falcons in a surprisingly low-scoring affair given how those matchups usually play out.
This was in no small part due to the sheer dominance of the Panthers‘ defense going along with a run game that was able to effectively bleed the clock.
Carolina’s defense finished with three sacks, nine quarterback hits, and two interceptions. This was a welcome shift back to how things were to start the year for Phil Snow’s young squad.
The return of the elite play of Shaq Thompson, recording an interception, and the debut of Stephon Gilmore, who secured a debut pick, certainly helped things against an offense that has torched the Panthers in recent years.
However, a massive factor in the performance of the defense was the fact that they were able to play with long fields for the first time in the last four weeks. The offense and special teams were finally able to at least be passable enough to give them a chance.
This balance will have to continue in a game that could go many different ways against the New England Patriots.
This Patriots squad is not as dominant as its teams of old. However, they still have Bill Belichick and every game has been competitive for them this season despite their strength of schedule.
Week 9 is going to be another measuring stick moment for the Panthers and a true test of just what this coaching staff can be capable of. As with all games, there are things they must get right, so let’s take a look at their keys to victory.