Buccaneers vs. Panthers: Complete Week 15 Preview for Carolina
The Carolina Panthers (4-8-1) sit just a half game back of first place in the NFC South and have three games left to play. Coming off a big win on the road last weekend, the Panthers return home to play rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-11). Winning out is the only way Carolina can win its division while receiving some help along the way. That help consists of New Orleans dropping at least one more of their remaining games, as is the case with Atlanta. However, the Panthers can take care of the latter in the season finale.
After such a dominating performance, it's understandable to be eager to see what the Panthers do for an encore. Unfortunately, the dynamic and identity of the offense will look different after Cam Newton was injured in a car accident Tuesday afternoon. The silver lining to take from this is twofold: his injury was similar to the one suffered by Tony Romo earlier this season meaning he could be back before the year is done and Derek Anderson was the man under center when Carolina defeated the Buccaneers in Week 1.
If the offensive line and defense play the way it did last week, the Panthers should be in good shape regardless of who is leading the offense. It's easy to dismiss Tampa Bay based on their poor record, but the NFC South hasn't been good in 2014 and as Carolina proved against New Orleans, nothing is ever guaranteed.
There is no denying the Panthers are riding a wave of emotions going into Sunday. On one hand, there is the euphoric feeling of knowing the team is still in the playoff hunt, but on the other, there is the concern about the health of the team's field general.
The following preview will discuss the headlines coming out of Carolina and what the Panthers need to do in order to win its second straight game.
Carolina Panthers Week 14 Recap
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The Carolina Panthers went into New Orleans knowing they had to come out with a victory. A loss would certainly be the death knell of the team's season. Not only did the Panthers rise to the challenge, they looked completely different than the team that had been winless since Week 5. When the dust settled, the Panthers had routed the Saints 41-10.
The defense played outstanding, limiting the Saints offense to just a field goal and a late touchdown. Drew Brees didn't have an answer for the coverage schemes or blitz packages being thrown at him. Offensively, the line played its best game of the season. It played so well that both the passing and running games were able to be effective and efficient.
Jonathan Stewart had his best game of the season with 155 yards rushing and a long, 69-yard touchdown. Cam Newton didn't put up eye-popping numbers, but he was consistent and threw three touchdowns. Additionally, Newton ran for 83 yards and scored a touchdown on the ground.
The Saints haven't been very good this year, but considering all that was at stake for Carolina, this was a quality win for the organization.
News and Notes
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Cam Newton in Car Accident
This news broke on Tuesday a little after noon eastern time as many anxious fans awaited word regarding the status of quarterback Cam Newton. Fortunately, he was alright and the extent of his injuries were revealed to be two transverse process fractures in his lower back.
As noted in the introduction, this is the same injury that kept Tony Romo out of action for a game. That being said, it's possible that Newton will be back on the field before the season ends. However, Ron Rivera and Dave Gettleman may have to make a tough decision based on Newton's overall health from the past year. Would it be wise to shut down Newton for the remainder of the season and let him heal, or allow him to return before the season ends with a playoff berth on the line?
There is no denying that Newton wants to play. He's a competitor. But, his long-term health should be more of a priority than what can be salvaged of a disappointing season—regardless of having a chance to win the division. Per ESPN's Ed Werder during a SportsCenter segment on Tuesday afternoon, the question was posed to Rivera about placing Newton on season-ending injury reserve. As of now, nothing has been confirmed about Newton's status or future this season.
Panthers in Good Hands with Derek Anderson
It's interesting that Derek Anderson's only start of the season was against Tampa Bay. Much like last time, he will be doing so to give Newton time to heal. In Week 1, Anderson was 24-of-34 for 234 yards and two touchdowns. Much of that was due to the good play of the offensive line as the unit gave the veteran backup time to throw. At the end of the day, he would only be sacked once.
A similar performance will be expected this week and with any luck, the line will carry last week's showing into Sunday. The good news about Anderson is that he has starting experience and knows what it takes to win. He led the Cleveland Browns to a 10-6 record in 2007, but they just missed the playoffs. It's unknown how many games he will play of the remaining season, but he will be starting Sunday.
Greg Olsen and Kelvin Benjamin Closing in on 1,000 Receiving Yards
Tight end Greg Olsen and rookie wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin are both closing in on 1,000 receiving yards on the season. If not for the combined efforts of the receiving tandem, Carolina may not be where they are today.
Of course, the Panthers' overall record could be better. However, Carolina has not had two 1,000-yard receivers since 1999 when Muhsin Muhammad and Patrick Jeffers became the first Panthers receivers to have that distinction. Currently, Olsen is on pace for 1,046 yards and Benjamin is on pace for 1,043 yards.
While the team's record is more important than personal accolades, the balance of production from both receivers shows that Cam Newton has been able to spread the ball around and not focus on just one receiver. Both Olsen and Benjamin have been big-play targets all season long and have the ability to score when thrown the ball.
Defense Playing Better
The Carolina defense has been disappointing this year, but the recent play has provided a sense of optimism moving forward. The Panthers defense seems to have reclaimed the magic that made it a top unit in 2013 and have allowed opponents to score no more than 19 points in two of the last three games. An exception could be made for the Minnesota game in Week 13 as 14 of the 31 points the Vikings scored came from two blocked punts that were returned for touchdowns. Carolina's starting defense has only allowed point totals of 19, 18 and 10 over the past three weeks. It's reassuring to see that number trending down, but as the game against the Vikings proved, mistakes can undo a quality performance.
Injury Report
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| Player/Position | Injury | Game Status |
| Philly Brown, WR | Shoulder | Probable |
| Carrington Byndom, CB | Illness | Probable |
| Ryan Kalil, C | NFI | Probable |
| A.J. Klein, OLB | Knee | Probable |
| Cam Newton, QB | Back | Out |
| Greg Olsen, TE | Knee | Probable |
| Chris Scott, OG | Foot | Probable |
| Amini Silatolu, OG | Knee | Out |
| Jonathan Stewart, RB | Hip | Probable |
| DeAngelo Williams, RB | Hand | Doubtful |
The obvious news here is the fact that Cam Newton will miss Sunday's game. As a result, the offense could favor the run and the health and status of both Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams will become very important as game day draws closer. Since Derek Anderson isn't a mobile quarterback and stands in the pocket, having the running backs present this week will go a long way in creating a balanced offense.
Philly Brown took a bad fall last week against New Orleans and left the game early with a shoulder injury. However, he did practice fully on both Wednesday and Thursday. Based on that, he should be in the lineup against Tampa Bay.
Amini Silatolu could be out Sunday as he has not been a part of the week's first two practices. Keeping the line healthy has been a tall order all season long and with backup Chris Scott gracing this report, the Panthers cannot afford to take too many hits. However, Scott was in practice Thursday and could be available this weekend.
Injury report courtesy of Panthers.com
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X-Factors and Matchups to Watch
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Josh Norman vs. Mike Evans
Evans didn't have a great NFL debut in Week 1 as he was limited to five catches for 37 yards. However, he has seen a surge in production over the past few weeks, most notably Weeks 9-11 where he had 21 receptions for 458 yards and five touchdowns. He has cooled since then, failing to reach 50 yards receiving since his 209-yard game in Week 11, but he has still managed to find the end zone.
Norman has been playing better as the season has progressed and should have the assignment of shutting down the rookie receiver. This matchup is important as he is developing into the go-to guy in the Tampa Bay offense. Vincent Jackson may still be considered the top wide out, but Evans has the numbers to back up his claim. If Norman continues to play smart, physical football; he should be able to keep Evans off balance and out of the end zone.
Kelvin Benjamin vs. Johnthan Banks
Another rookie receiver should give the Tampa Bay defense fits on Sunday in the form of Kelvin Benjamin. Benjamin had a solid debut in Week 1 with a six-catch performance that resulted in 92 receiving yards and a touchdown. He's become better since.
Johnthan Banks and his team-leading four interceptions should be the guy drawing the assignment to cover the big rookie. Benjamin has been a pleasant surprise to an otherwise down year, but another big game coupled with a win will get Carolina closer to the division title and that will mask a losing record.
Jonathan Stewart vs. Tampa Bay Run Defense
Per ESPN.com, the Buccaneers are ranked 20th in run defense. Tampa Bay has allowed opponents to rush for an average of 115.8 yards. Stewart is coming off an impressive game where he rushed for 155 yards. His production was highlighted by a 69-yard touchdown run which was the longest rushing touchdown in his career. DeAngelo Williams may still be considered the starter, but Stewart will be the difference maker in the ground game, especially with the absence of Cam Newton.
Carolina's X-Factor of the Week: Panthers Offensive Line
This unit was the reason for the big upset last week and as a result, both the passing and running games thrived. With Derek Anderson stepping in for Newton, keeping him protected, upright and clean will be the x-factor for Carolina's success on Sunday.
It should be noted the line played well in Anderson's Week 1 start, but that was a different looking line. The key to victory will be for the unit to win the battle in the trenches, open running lanes and keep Anderson from being hit.
Prediction
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Sometimes, teams coming off a major upset the previous week lose focus and fall victim to an inferior opponent. That may not be the case this week as Ron Rivera had his guys in ready to prepare for Tampa Bay on Monday. Carolina will go into Week 15's game knowing they need a win to stay in the hunt for the division title.
There should be a little extra emotion as Cam Newton will be watching from the sidelines knowing he can't do anything to help. To that end, his teammates will do their best to pick him up.
With that in mind, it shouldn't be surprising to see the Panthers try to establish the running game early and try to put Derek Anderson in the role of game manager. Fortunately for Carolina, he is one of the better backups in the league and should be able to find the offense's top receivers with relative ease. Much of the offense's success will depend on the efforts of the offensive line.
That unit cannot afford a bad game because the Tampa Bay defensive front is a talented unit in its own right. The offense, namely the running game, depends on it.
Carolina's defense should continue to play well and should do its part to keep the game close and the Panthers in a position to win. It also helps to have the support of the home crowd.
Prediction
Carolina 24, Tampa Bay 13
Player and team information provided from Panthers.com, ESPN.com and Pro-Football-Reference.com.
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