4 bold predictions for the Carolina Panthers at NY Giants in Preseason Week 2
By Dean Jones
Carolina Panthers OL gives up one sack
The gauntlet has been well and truly laid down to the Carolina Panthers offensive line this week. James Campen was absolutely furious with their collective performance against the New York Jets, which put Bryce Young and Matt Corral under tremendous pressure versus a deep defensive line they had no answer for.
Only Bradley Bozeman and Brady Christensen emerged with any semblance of credit. All eyes have been on the unit during their limited practices in the game's immediate aftermath and any further regression could see general manager Scott Fitterer begin to scour the league and free-agent pool for alternatives.
If the protection was hoping for a little respite this week, they are out of luck. To put it mildly.
The New Giants defense is led by coordinator Wink Martindale, one of the brightest minds in the business who brings the heat almost constantly with exotic Cover 0 blitzes that are incredibly difficult to pick up. Considering how much trouble Carolina's offensive line had with simple twists and stunts against the Jets, it's not hard to see where the problems might arise.
Frank Reich stated that young upstarts such as Nash Jensen and Chadler Zavala will get their chance to shine in Preseason Week 2. Another who'll feature heavily is Deonte Brown, who's dropped weight this offseason and looks a lot sharper.
Keeping the Giants' defense out of the backfield is an almost impossible task. But if the Panthers' offensive line can restrict them to one sack during the contest, it should be seen as a significant accomplishment.