4 bold Carolina Panthers predictions vs. the Bengals in Week 4
By Luke Gray
Carolina Panthers earn back-to-back blowout wins
Nothing dictates a fan's mood like watching their team win on a Sunday.
It was all doom and gloom as the Carolina Panthers slipped to a 0-2 start. But after their bombshell win against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium, you could talk me into veteran quarterback Andy Dalton leading this downtrodden organization to a Super Bowl win.
That is almost impossible to say with any conviction in Year 1 of head coach Dave Canales' tenure. However, there's nothing to suggest the Panthers cannot secure back-to-back blowout wins against the Cincinnati Bengals in front of their home fans.
This Bengals team has vulnerabilities to exploit if Canales' game plans things effectively. They are a serious candidate to be 0-4 and the Panthers must capitalize on this added pressure with Cincinnati's season - where they were expected to be among the postseason challengers - fading rapidly.
Establishing a run game early with Chuba Hubbard is vital. This will allow Dalton to operate the offense more efficiently and potentially provide more time in the pocket despite the expected absence of interior offensive lineman Damien Lewis.
The Panthers' offense can move the ball against a weak Bengals defense. Racking up points should not be an issue for Brad Idzik’s unit if they build on the momentum accumulated in Week 3.
However, if the Panthers want to win this game, they must stop the run and force quarterback Joe Burrow to make hero throws. Nullifying the threat of a star like Ja’Marr Chase will go a long way to ensuring back-to-back wins. Easier said than done, and there is the added complication of Tee Higgins factoring into the equation after his return from injury versus the Washington Commanders.
I’m backing the Panthers to win by double digits for a second week in a row and get themselves back to .500.
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