The Carolina Panthers pulled off the unthinkable and knocked off the Green Bay Packers. It was not a pretty game by any means, but a win is still a win in the NFL.
Momentum is building for this team. That is precisely what can get the better of a young group on the rise. While the Panthers are so far exceeding expectations this season, one team is decidedly not.
Coming into this season, there was a mix of trepidation and optimism about the New Orleans Saints after the retirement of Derek Carr and the hiring of Kellen Moore as head coach. But the early results are most certainly leaning more toward the negative side of those estimates after a 1-8 start to the campaign and yet another quarterback change.
Carolina Panthers should win comfoirtably if Alvin Kamara is contained
This is the opponent the Panthers face this week. In an eerily similar scenario to the one the Packers found themselves in — a game against a team no one expects even to be competitive. That is what makes this such a dangerous opponent for an organization looking for its footing.
We see it happen all the time in the NFL, where a team will look past an inferior opponent and get shell-shocked into a loss that no one saw coming. The Panthers have to be careful this week, and especially against a familiar foe in running back Alvin Kamara, who, much like the rest of this team, has had a poor start to the year.
While Panthers fans are all used to a Kamara who is torching the team, no matter how good the defense may be that year, they are going against a totally different player this season.
The Pro Bowl running back has not eclipsed 31 rushing yards in seven games. Kamara is coming into the week hobbled and questionable to even play. However, you can never underestimate a division opponent, especially one with a long history of absolutely destroying your defense.
Kamara and the Saints need a spark — something to get them back on track and inject a little hope into the organization. Much like the Panthers needed for so very long, the exact thing that powered them to a victory over the Packers.
In this game, the Saints have nothing to lose and the Panthers have everything to gain. It will come down to who wants it more, and it may just be Kamara at this point. The running back has a bigger chip on his shoulder than ever and wants to prove that he is still a top-tier performer in this league.
The Panthers have to be on their toes and lock down a rush defense that is once again the team's weakest link. If they can manage that, this will be an easy trip to victory.