4 crucial matchups that will decide Panthers at Saints in Week 17

Brady Christensen vs. Cameron Jordan

Finally!

After a series of incredibly odd decisions tracing back all the way to the offseason, the Carolina Panthers finally made the right move and installed Brady Christensen as their starting left tackle and were rewarded by a solid performance from the rookie.

Was he perfect? No.

Was he better than anything the Panthers have put on the edge this season? Yes.

All that talk of Christensen not being able to perform to the same level as he did in college because of his arm length seems to be all smoke and no fire at this point. It further brings into question this staff’s ability to correctly evaluate and utilize talent.

With that said, the BYU standout is going to have a tall task when he is lined up against defensive stud Cameron Jordan.

While the imposing defensive end may be having a middling year by his standards in 2021, Jordan is coming off a two-sack performance against the Miami Dolphins and is still a force to be reckoned with when firing on all cylinders.

Jordan will be salivating at the idea of going against a rookie with little experience starting at the NFL level. Christensen will need to be prepared to see all the moves the veteran has to offer.

Christensen being able to stand pat against a stout rush and surrender no sacks to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was impressive. But shutting down Jordan only a week later will ease the concerns of the fanbase and possibly show us a glimpse at a bright blindside future.

Setting that edge will be crucial if the Panthers want any chance of redeeming themselves. It’s that simple, really.