Peppers will bring some pressure at times. I think the guy on the other side Charles Johnson had a key sack in the first game. He’s improved too but unless the secondary is playing well they are a step late a lot.

Bring it on! Lets see what the rookie can do.

TWC is now saying 60% chance of rain, with an overnight low of 36F

That is a recipe for disaster for Card fans. Smith is very unconventional, and he knows how to get into player’s heads. Why would you expose a rookie to that kind of potential misfortune?

I’d have to say if we had to have one of our starters out with injury, Boldin would be my first choice.

1. We are deep at receiver.
2. He has been out, and our receiving core answer the call guns blazing.
3. He hasn’t even been playing that sharp anyways.

Better him than Larry.

but our running game has improved. We were missing two starters in the first game, C Ryan Kalil and RT Jeff Otah. Since those two came back the running game has been awesome. We lost former Cardinal G Keydrick Vincent to IR (groin) after the Broncos game but another former Cardinal Jeremy Bridges has filled in nicely. Otah is a beast.

With the exception of a few blowouts, the 1st half of the season the Panthers kept falling behind early, but pulling it together in the 3rd and 4th. 2nd half of the season they have seemed better at jumping out to early leads, or at least keeping it close.

They have jelled more, and seem to be more consistent as a result. However they have been a little to conservative in the 3rd lately.

The joke here is if you don’t like the weather just wait about 10 minutes and it will change. Windy as hell today and the temp is dropping suggesting a front is coming in. Worst case scenario though is its overcast and maybe rains intermittently but it won’t down pour the entire day. Hurricane season is over and too early for spring storms. BTW, I live about 3 hrs south of Charlotte in Charleston, SC so the weather is comparable. That’s my non-expert opinion.

may be diminished since its a night game? You’ll be playing at what 5-6pm your time?

Just too green here compared to the desert? Too much humidity? If it’s not the time change then I’m curious what you guys think is behind this East Coast hex that seems to affect several WC teams.

considering the first one was a 4 pt spread

But since you brought it up… They do have trouble getting pressure up the middle, which often gives QBs too much time and diminishes the secondary. No secondary can cover when a QB has a lot of time.

But that is really the only kink in their armor. And while it is a big one they seem to be able to compensate by scoring a lot of points… something Panther fans have never seen.

Here’s my objectivity… if we don’t win, then you will ;)