Jimmy Clausen and the Carolina Panthers: Why They Can Beat Cincinnati Bengals
This week it was announced that rookie quarterback Jimmy Clausen of the Carolina Panthers would get the start in this week’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals. BetMania has listed the Panthers as 3.5 point underdogs at home against the Bengals, but Carolina has a good shot of beating the Bengals even though they have yet to win a game on the season.
Better Than the Alternative
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Matt Moore had struggled early this NFL season and that may be an understatement. He could not hit wide open receivers that led to a completion percentage of just 40 percent and often connected with the wrong receiver, resulting in four interceptions in just two games. It took him too long to deliver the ball and he was sacked eight times and lost two fumbles.
Clausen has better numbers than that in limited action and the Panthers have made the right choice to start him now.
Team Support
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The players have come out and supported this decision the minute it was announced. They appreciate his demeanor on the field and the energy he brings to the team.
“He loves football—you can definitely tell,” running back Jonathan Stewart said. “He loves playing football, and he’s happy to have to opportunity now to go in there and show what he can do.
Clausen is even getting praise from the defensive side of the ball, something that is not always seen in an NFL locker room.
“He’s more humble than I thought he would be,” defensive end Everette Brown said. “He came in and worked, learned the playbook, and waited his turn.”
It’s obviously why the running back unit would love Clausen as a starter, because the gameplan would seem to call for more runs to get the rookie time to get into the game.
Running Game
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The strength of the Carolina offense is the running game and it always has been. To get back to the running game will not only help the offense be productive but it will set up the pass for the rookie signal caller.
The rushing offense has been somewhat successful, ranked No. 16 right now. The Bengals are No. 21 in rushing offense coming into this game. It is interesting to note that the Bengals are No. 18 in rushing defense heading into this game, so the Panthers can take advantage.
If the Panthers can run the ball, it will help Clausen tremendously and keep the ball away from the Bengals.
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Bengals Have Not Impressed
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The Bengals are 1-1 on the season, and granted they have played top tier teams in the AFC in New England and Baltimore, but they have not looked all that impressive. The vaunted offense with new receiving threats has been rather quiet and now running back Cedric Benson is basically saying that he is not getting enough carries.
The schedule does not set up well for this game because the Bengals face an opponent out of conference in between two divisional games, so that makes this a sandwich game.
The Time Is Now
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This is the right move for the Panthers as an organization. They were not winning games with Moore so starting Clausen is the way to go, and the results yield a win/win situation. Either he comes in and leads the team to a few wins and perhaps even the playoffs, or he learns and matures as a quarterback and becomes a cornerstone of the franchise for years to come.
The game is all set to be a very good one and it will be interesting to see how Clausen performs under center. The Panthers plus the points is the way to go in this game but don’t be surprised if they win on the field.
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Matt Regaw is a B/R Featured Columnist and the founder of BookieBlitz.com, your one-stop shop for sports articles, previews, and predictions. Feel Free to contact Matt at mregaw@gmail.com
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