
What are some of the big keys to victory for the Carolina Panthers at the New Orleans Saints in Week 17?
Well, things started off well for the Carolina Panthers at least.
Driving down the field and coming within a stumble of taking an early 7-0 lead had to have been encouraging for Panthers fans and players alike on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. However, that hope was dashed in quick order, as per the usual this season.
A 55-yard touchdown run by a player with only 229 total yards in their career will do that.
That play, and the multiple missed tackles that caused it, was a perfect snapshot of the rest of the day for this Panthers team.
From missed blocking assignments to bad decisions with the football to blown coverages and a Tom Brady 11-yard run. There is almost nothing good to be gleaned from another disappointing and frustrating performance.
But who would expect anything less at this point in the season? The team may have started 3-0, but they have only managed two wins ever since.
This team is broken and without much in the way of draft capital thanks to Scott Fitterer and his masterful trading that has resulted in little onfield success. The path to contention is muddier than ever and the only real thing that can change that is the draft. So winning this game may not be in the best interest of the future of the team.
With that said, we don’t watch football to see our team lose and a win would do wonders for the future of the fanbase if the booing and chants for the firing of Matt Rhule are anything to go by.
That win will have to come against the rising New Orleans Saints. Quarterbacked by the run-first Taysom Hill and without a great majority of their big-name players. The Panthers may have nothing left to play for but the opposition sure does.
This will be a tough win to scratch out, but it’s possible. However, there are a few things the team will have to get right to make that happen. So let’s take a look at the keys to a Panthers victory in Week 17.