Week 2 - Panthers @ Cardinals (practice tweets, news articles, videos, etc)

[Icege]

We're all aware of the frustrating Week 1 for Carolina, but there's reasons to see Arizona as a possible get-right game. While this will be Zona's home opener (requiring the team to travel out west), they were barely able to hold on to a lead against the hapless Saints who got a chance to tie the game up with 2min left that ended at the ARI 18.

Kyler Murray was 21/29 with 2 passing TDs but for only 163yds (5.6yd AVG) and a QBR of 50.9 (RTG 108.8). He was also sacked five times for 33yds. Meanwhile, Spencer Rattler went 27/46 and was sacked just once for 6yds. Kyler also carried the ball seven times for 38yds. James Conner struggled to get going (12 carries, 39yds) but Trey Benson had a good day thanks to a 52yd scamper (8 carries, 69yds).

Arizona has weapons in MHJ and McBride, but the CBs have been playing well enough for McBride to be the true focus of the defense. MHJ had a good game though against the Saints, so hopefully Jaycee + Mike Jackson can disrupt that connection. The Cardinals also aren't a disciplined team... with an opportunity to put the Saints away they gave up a TFL and a holding penalty before having the field goal attempt blocked.

Their OL suuuuucks at run blocking and got better pass blocking from their TEs in week 1 than they did from any OL except for Paris Johnson Jr. Isaiah Adams and Hjalte Froholdt especially had issues as did Jonah Williams. If the Panthers' revamped DL can't get pressure against them it might be worth giving the alarm a pull.

Edited 8 hours ago by Icege

[Bear Hands]

For the Cards:

• Will Johnson was excellent week 1.  He looked like that high R1 level talent people thought he was (outside his injury concerns).  Still can have issues vs. man
• They almost entirely retooled their defense from last year, even more than the Jags but have the same coaches.  Their new front-7 is a really interesting bunch, but either new or inexperienced.  They should absolutely be attackable.
• Their running game is a good one.  Which if established early could open things up for MHJ and McBride.  But the receivers after Harrison are not good, so I feel our defense matches up well.  
• That being said, if our LBs play like week 1, it could be a very long day.  Could see long sustained drives by AZ, not giving us much time to respond or have dud drives.   

[Panthera onca]

Cards 28

Kitty Kats 10

 

BY is sent to the bench never to be heard from again.

[jfra78]

Did they get Monday off?

[DeeJay]

Cards 56

Panthers 3

Hooker starts week 3 

[therealmjl]

Connor breaks single game rushing record en route to a 38-6 victory.

[amcoolio]

I predict the Panthers surprise the Cardinals and win, like last year and the year Cam just signed. Then the huddle will be unsufferable with threads from both sides about how Bryce still sucks despite his performance or the Panthers are finally back, and then they lose next week to the Falcons in embarrassing fashion

[UnluckyforSome]

I would be curious to see how they plan to stop/limit/slow the Murray-McBride connection as we have no one on our defense that has shown an ability to shut down a receiving te. Seems like between him and MHJ, Murray can just play a leisurely game of pitch-and-catch all day.

[Johnstonny]

3 hours ago, Bear Hands said:

For the Cards:

 

• Their running game is a good one.  Which if established early could open things up for MHJ and McBride.  But the receivers after Harrison are not good, so I feel our defense matches up well.  
• That being said, if our LBs play like week 1, it could be a very long day.  Could see long sustained drives by AZ, not giving us much time to respond or have dud drives.   

I smell another 200yd give up this week especially with a QB who isn't afraid of running. A slow agonizing death... about as optimistic as I can get.  

[Panthering]

We own this franchise for some reason. We win a disgusting matchup 16-14. 

[Cavscout]

Tyler vs Bryce in the tiny qb bowl!

I hope the Panthers pull this one off but I just don't see it happening

 

[Icege]

Summary

• Week 1 looked a lot like the last couple of years and that's not good. A whole lot of "blah" all around.
• Losing Turk might be big. Him not being on the DL was not the reason for JAX's run game success on Sunday, but proved to be a better run stopper than anticipated. Valued part of the overhauled DL and it's never good to be immediately out after going down. Hopefully isn't as bad as anticipated but definitely severe enough for him to be out 4 - 6 weeks.
• Kaye thinks that Bryce got off to a really good start and that his weapons, sans TMac, let him down regularly though Bryce had his own blunders as well. Also felt that he was much worse after the weather delay. OL wasn't particularly good either.
• Guys were getting out of the huddle late and snapping the ball with very little time remaining. Extended drives that shouldn't have been that long (goes into detail later about this).
• Bryce is fine but does have to be better and this did look more like a regressive moment rather than progressive. Might have overvalued the finish to the season due to not having much to play for other than be spoilers.
• PFF offensive and passing grades were discussed.
  • ADOT: 8.8yds - Not great, but not dump it off Bryce that we saw in 2024
  • ACP - 70%. (ngl, as much as people complain about BTTs being a made up stat it's very difficult for me to take the adjusted completion percentage stat seriously).
  • 12 pressures - Not a way to operate as a QB. Only took 1 sack officially but this means he has to run around to try and get the ball out on time.
  • 8/15 on 3rd down, over 50% is healthy for an offense
• All of that said, there was still 3 turnovers and operational issues on the offense (getting out of the huddle late, getting the snap off late, snap issues, etc). Bryce as a passer on Sunday was okay, but as a QB he was not good.
• Had multiple drives ~5min each when trailing by a score or two. Third drive of the game that took place in Q2 lasted 4:53 the team gained 39yds and got two first downs before punting. Took off roughly 1/3rd of the quarter, effectively running the clock out on themselves. Second one took 5:15 and that led to 55yds net (29yds in actual scrimmage, 26yds from penalties) and was the one that ended at 4th & 1 on the JAX 5. They had another drive that 4:10 where they gained 10yds net and got one first down. How can they operate eating away into their own opportunities? Gave 3 possessions to the opposing team and spent what was basically an entire quarter just burning clock. Poor clock management. What happened on Sunday cannot happen again in Arizona. Game should be close and they cannot afford to squander opportunities especially with a defense that gives up the rushing yardage that they do.
• TMac looked really good and showed a lot of flash. XL... this is back-to-back really good summers but man you have to have some situational awareness. His rookie season was greatly underrated considering what he did in the first half of it.
• Bryce had a couple of throws that weren't turnovers that he'd want back ie: slot fade to Renfrow, 4th & 1 ball that he just threw up. Physically he was very effective as a passer, but from the mental/decision making side he was not as good.
• 4th & 1 from the 5 you need to get, give it to Chuba. Yea they stopped it twice before but if Chuba is the guy that is going to make the offense run you've got to go to him. Neither Mike nor Alex would've gone with an empty set in that situation. Passing game was just not working: guys were dropping passes, mis-running routes, not paying attention properly (like not turning their heads). Wouldn't put that on Bryce given how him and the offense were ineffective for the first three quarters. It was the right call to go for it on 4th & 1. 
• Pivoting to the defense, the run defense is still bad when looking at the numbers. During just the Dave Canales era, the Panthers' defense has allowed 200+ rushing yards nine times (including in seven consecutive games). Even in wins they are getting the ball ran on them heavily.
  • In 35 games as the Panthers DC, Evero's defense has given up 200+ rushing yards 26 times. Only nine games have been under that amount. This scheme does a good job with coverage, especially on the outside, but it's been three years of allowed rushing success. It'd be one thing if they were sacrificing run defense for a pass rush, but not having any pressure in this game while also giving up 200+ yards is very frustrating.
  • Isn't because of being a 3-4 defense, otherwise other 3-4 defenses would have the same issues.
• Young guys on the defensive side of the ball got very limited opportunities vs. veterans even if the veterans were failing. Evero's history does not play into playing young guys early. DJ Wonnum isn't exactly a Pro Bowl pass rusher that can't leave the field, neither is Pat Jones II, and Nick Scott certainly isn't. If those guys aren't ready, what on the field showed you that the guys that are playing are ready? Moehrig had a rough day in pass coverage. Coen had the TEs targeted often against him.
• Jaycee Horn + Mike Jackson have been terrific and the scheme benefits them, and while Nick Scott wasn't terrible he's still a replacement level player. A 30yr old safety with limited upside playing on the backend over Lathan Ransom who had a great summer or Demani Richardson who had a great season last year is being antithetical to what Canales says about playing and teaching none guys.
• Canales said he was going to push for it and people are asking why he doesn't just big boy Evero, but Evero was retained and is the guy for the defense. Scourton and Umanmielen have a lot of potential. Last season's team had no talent on the defense and no depth, but now that they've got these young guys he's not playing them. Hard to be championed as an awesome head coaching candidate if he won't play the kids.
• "Who have they developed on defense over the last three years?" Yeesh... Mike's got a point.
  • Alex responds that Demani is a guy, but he didn't get to play much at all last week.

I'm a little over halfway through but gotta pick up dinner for the family. Will try to finish up tonight or tomorrow morning.

[Ornias]

I believe we get blown out this week and Evero is fired on Monday. 

[CRA]

9 minutes ago, Ornias said:

I believe we get blown out this week and Evero is fired on Monday. 

I’m not sure the Cards have it in them to blow us out unless Bryce were to just gift that to them.  Gotta assume Canales will have an even more conservative plan that mirrors something like last seasons.