4 crucial matchups to watch during Panthers at Cardinals in Week 10
By Noah Bryce
32. 4:05 PM ET. 87. FOX. 8-1. 4-5. Sunday, November 14. Panthers +10.5
What are the crucial matchups to monitor closely when the Carolina Panthers travel to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 10?
Well, that was a disappointment, to say the least.
The Carolina Panthers looked to have a little bit of life coming off of an impressive win against the Atlanta Falcons where every aspect of the game seemed to click for the first time since Week 3.
That trend, however, came to an abrupt halt. At least for the offense and one very frustrating part of the defense.
A case can be made that the team rushed Christian McCaffrey and especially Sam Darnold back too soon. But the point remains that the former No. 3 overall pick just didn’t have it on Sunday with multiple throws that left fans scratching their heads.
Running on the move was never Darnold’s strong suit and that was once again proven in Week 9 with two horrific interceptions. One of which was a terrible decision as well as a bad throw where the New England Patriots corner was standing in front of the intended receiver.
Hero ball doesn’t win games and now Darnold’s time in Carolina looks to be over thanks to the addition of Cam Newton.
The Panthers‘ inability to be effective in run defense is incredibly confusing with the amount of talent and big bodies the team can call upon, especially on the line.
Gaps were regularly left wide open and there was almost no discipline in that area of the game. On top of that, the linebackers and secondary seemingly forgot everything they knew about how to tackle a running back which led to multiple monster gains.
Next up is a tricky trip to the red hot Arizona Cardinals upcoming in Week 10.
The Cardinals are one of the biggest surprises this season with an 8-1 record and the entire team playing at a truly exceptional level. Simply looking at how the team embarrassed the San Fransisco 49ers without Kyler Murray, their top two receivers, or their best running back, shows just how deep and well-coached this squad is.
There were a lot of questions about whether or not Murray or head coach Kliff Kingsbury could make it in the NFL after last season. But those have been all but silenced and this Cardinals team has a real shot at a Super Bowl this season.
It will be an incredibly tall task, but what matchups will the Panthers have to win to pull off the biggest upset of the season?