4 players pivotal to Carolina Panthers chances in Week 3 vs. Saints

Yetur Gross-Matos – Carolina Panthers DE

This is a hard one to swallow. The Carolina Panthers had faith that Yetur Gross-Matos could translate rotational success into solid starting performance given the team let Haason Reddick walk in the offseason, but it has not transpired as yet.

Brian Burns can only do so much and with a severe lack of interior pressure, Gross-Matos has to rise to the occasion. If not with sacks but by at least keeping the opposition contained.

To play more than 65 percent of snaps and only come away with two tackles and one quarterback hit is just not up to the required standard. And quite frankly it’s disappointing.

Watching any defensive snap you can see the disparity on the opposite edge from Burns. That is a huge problem against a team that likes to scramble and run like the New Orleans Saints.

Jameis Winston, Taysom Hill, and Alvin Kamara all love to run outside and without a solid edge to contain that there is little the rest of the team can do. Because if they try to help too much the middle will be exposed and that’s a whole other issue.

The Saints are at their worst when Winston is pressured and Kamara is contained. Gross-Matos will have a vital role this coming Sunday and it’s the perfect time for the promised leap in production as the Panthers are in dire need of something good to come their way.