4 keys to victory for the Carolina Panthers vs. Buccaneers in Week 16
By Noah Bryce
Carolina Panthers must take deep shots
The one thing this Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense has been known for is its run stopping. A side effect of this is that they are also quite good at stopping the short-to-intermediate passing game.
Where this impressive ability wanes, however, is with the deep ball.
Whether it be Cam Newton‘s arm strength, an inability to protect the quarterback, the scheme, or the fact that receivers can’t get open deep, there has been a frustrating lack of deep shots from the Carolina Panthers over the last two seasons. With nothing left to lose, it’s time to start chucking the ball downfield and see what happens.
With how stout this Buccaneers defense is upfront, it is the perfect chance to test out its long-term viability for next season as well. Not to mention that there is really nothing for the Panthers to play for at this point, so why not take the chance.
This receiving core is built around mobility and top-end speed. Simply put, the Panthers need to start using that to their advantage.
Leaving Robby Anderson and D.J. Moore on short comeback routes robs them of some of their most special talents, the things that truly make them elite.
If the Panthers can start hitting on a few of those shots, it will force the Buccaneers to pull some men out of the box. Carolina can then shift into the run team that they clearly want to be and just bounce between those two approaches to keep Todd Bowles guessing on defense.
With how stale this team has been on offense of late, it desperately needs a spark. And nothing is quite as electrifying as a deep touchdown pass.