4 Panthers players who must raise their game vs. 49ers in Week 5
By Noah Bryce
Robbie Anderson – Carolina Panthers WR
The Carolina Panthers’ wide receiver core – one that just a few seasons ago was seen as one of the league’s best – has fallen below expectations in 2022, to say the least.
While there are many factors that go into this, the individual performances of key pieces like D.J. Moore and the frustratingly inconsistent Robbie Anderson stick out. Which is something that must change in Week 5.
The San Francisco 49ers love to load up the box and trust their corners to win the 1-on-1 matchups. This allows them to better defend the run and any shallow crossing routes by slot receivers.
What this means is Anderson will be given the perfect opportunity to show why the Panthers signed the wideout to such a lucrative contract.
The perfect way to beat this type of defense is a fast player running straight by the defender. Exactly what the Panthers signed Anderson to do. We have seen glimpses of this, signs that the ability is still there, it just isn’t consistent enough to rely upon.
Anderson has to step up and win on the outside. Even one long pass is enough to get the Niners to start cheating toward the wideout and free up the middle for the likes of Christan McCaffrey. Something that will finally let the team have some sort of balance on offense.