If the Carolina Panthers want to stand any chance ot shocking the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football, they must find ways to restrict running back Christian McCaffrey's influence. Anything less comes with severe consequences attached.
McCaffrey propelled himself to superstardom with the Panthers, earning All-Pro honors and becoming the league's most prolific dual-threat backfield force. But with Carolina reeling in 2022 after firing Matt Rhule, then-general manager Scott Fitterer traded him to San Francisco.
The former Stanford sensation continued to thrive as the Panthers wallowed in misery. Things are turning around slowly, but McCaffrey will be eager to halt Carolina's momentum and prove them wrong for deeming him expendable.
Dave Canales knows what threat Christian McCaffrey poses to the Carolina Panthers
Dave Canales is well aware of the danger McCaffrey provides. The head coach has plenty of respect for the three-time Pro Bowler. This stems from his attention to detail, which transitions to a competitive setting on the field almost every time.
"We have to be aware of the way that they use him in the pass game and the run game, all those different things. A versatile player, a guy that I really respect for a long time now, and the stories I've heard from being here around the guys around the players, the staff that have been around him, in terms of his preparation, the way that he takes care of his body, how intentional he is with the game plans and executing his fundamentals, stuff that I really respect about him. And of course, the product is great, and he's able to make plays in different ways."Dave Canales via Panthers.com
This is nothing new to Panthers fans. They saw first-hand what McCaffrey can bring to the table over his opening five and a half seasons in the league. He carried the offense on his own as quarterback Cam Newton began to suffer injuries and eventually left the organization. They will be on the other side of it for the first time in Week 12, and the entire NFL audience will be watching closely.
It won't be easy, especially with growing injury problems in the linebacking corps, but this is all about discipline. Maintaining control, making McCaffrey the focal point on every snap, and making tackles count are the best ways to counteract his threat. Even that might not be enough, but it will only help.
Canales and Ejiro Evero will have a strategy in place. The Panthers must execute it effectively against someone still held in the highest regard by those he shared a locker room with.
Buckle up...