Carolina Panthers: Running Backs and Linebackers Are Keys to Success in 2012

If there was ever a simple way to describe the Carolina Panthers offense, it would be talented.

There's quarterback Cam Newton poised to build upon his amazing rookie season. There is the veteran captain at wide receiver, Steve Smith, who is no stranger to making his voice heard and backing up his talk on the field.

There is the solid tight end, Greg Olsen, who can be a great presence inside the red zone or stretch a 10-yard completion down the field for an additional 15 yards. Brandon LaFell leads a group of young but hungry receivers ready to establish themselves as the future.

Last but not least, there are the running backs.

The original tandem of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart by itself is impressive alone, however, the addition of Mike Tolbert makes this stable of backs perhaps the best in the league. Carolina has what you would call an embarrassment of riches at the running back position.

Having three able running backs on the roster undoubtedly raises some issues. How many carries will each back get? How much do their roles increase or diminish? Interestingly enough, that does not seem to be a problem with this group.

That being said, having three established running backs will go a long way in securing Carolina's success in 2012 and beyond.

Williams has proven time and again he can make the big play when the hole opens up. Stewart and Tolbert are both capable of running over the opposition and provide good hands out of the backfield.

Last season, the offense was dynamic. This year, it will be just amazing.

If the most recent preseason game against the Miami Dolphins was any indication, the starting offense will not have a problem scoring. The first quarter looked like this: three possessions, three scores (two touchdowns and a field goal. Both Williams and Stewart were instrumental in scoring both touchdowns.

Most would suggest that the Panthers have a problem most teams would love to have.

However, that is not the case because in the eyes of the team, it is a blessing. No longer will there be concerns about fatigue or which back to put in on any given situation. These men are so talented they will save each other a large amount of wear and tear on their bodies.

They will be the envy of other backs throughout the league. The ability to have a fresh set of legs on each down has to make the Carolina coaching staff feel really good each time the offense takes the field.

On the other side of the ball, a similar situation could occur with the linebacker corps if Jon Beason and Thomas Davis can return from their respective injuries. Beason has been the proven leader of the defense and has made the most of his professional career by racking up over 100 tackles since being drafted by the Panthers in 2007.

The lone exception was last year when he was lost for the season in Week 1.

Davis, on the other hand, has been his own personal MASH unit suffering from the same knee problem which has kept him off the field since the middle of the 2009 season. Obviously, he will not be the same player he once was, but he can still be a valuable asset on the field.

If both linebackers can return, they will combine with rookie Luke Kuechly to form a talented—and perhaps one of the strongest—units in the NFL. In order for that to happen, the Panthers cannot allow them to suffer any kind of setbacks.

Kuechly has proven his ability to be involved in almost every play, and he is able to locate and get to the ball. He is still a rookie and would greatly benefit from the tutelage of Beason and Davis who have taken him under their collective wings to mold him into one of the best linebackers at the professional level.

Keep in mind  that there is yet another solid and dependable linebacker in this stable: James Anderson.

Anderson will most likely be the other starter filling in at the strong side while the middle and weak-side linebacker positions are determined between Kuechly and Beason. An optimal solution will have a rotation allowing for a fresh player to be on the field without losing effectiveness.

This would be defensive coordinator Sean McDermott's dream if he is able to have all of his top linebackers healthy and on the field together.

Two units. Two sides of the ball. One team.

Carolina is confident in what their running backs can do and should have limited worries as the season progresses. The linebackers are another issue as their health and the performance of their teammates on defense will play into whether or not the defense as a whole succeeds or repeats last year's dismal results.

One side of the house is ready to lead the way while the other needs to get on the field and stay there. Neither Beason nor Davis has played in the preseason, and while it may be a precaution, it is necessary to get them out there, see them play and get an idea of what can be expected when the season opens.

The running backs will help lead the offense and the linebackers will need to do the same on defense. If both of these talented units can play at a high level, stay healthy (namely defense) and lead the way, the Panthers will be one of the best teams in both their division and the conference.