5 Panthers players that must dominate vs. the Falcons in Week 14
By Dean Jones
Shaq Thompson – Carolina Panthers OLB
One of the big surprises across the league this season has been the emergence of Cordarrelle Patterson. The former first-round pick craved out a successful role for himself as an All-Pro kick returner, but the Atlanta Falcons switching him to running back has brought a substantial upturn in production as a result.
It’s taken quite some time to fully utilize Patterson’s abilities. But this is a danger the Carolina Panthers need to take seriously in pursuit of getting their stuttering campaign back on track.
Although it needs to be a collective effort, one cannot understate how important Shaq Thompson is when it comes to limiting Patterson’s influence on proceedings.
Carolina needs the outside linebacker to make plays in the run game and communicate well with his teammates to ensure they’re not left flat-footed when Patterson gets the football. Judging by what we’ve seen from Thompson this season, it’s a challenge he is no doubt looking forward to.
The former first-round selection out of Washington has been a revelation in 2021. Thompson is making huge strides and is now one of the indispensable members of the Panthers both on and off the field – something the player wanted last year in the immediate wake of Luke Kuechly’s bombshell retirement.
Stopping Patterson is arguably the key to this game for the Panthers. If they can do this, a sixth win of the season won’t be far behind.