Photo Credit: AP
by Chris Asbrock
Carolina Panthers (1-1) vs. Cincinnati Bengals (2-0)
Bank of America Stadium
Sunday, 9/23/2018
1:00 P.M. EST
CBS
Line: CAR -3.0 O/U: 44.5
This has been quite the interesting season so far throughout the NFL. Just a few days ago, the burden of losing was finally lifted off the Cleveland Browns, when they knocked off the Jets on Thursday night. There have already been two ties throughout the first two weeks of the season. The Miami Dolphins are leading the AFC East division, while the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are leading the NFC South. These first two weeks have been different and unexpected. The Browns kicked off the third week of the season with a win. Can the Cincinnati Bengals stay unbeaten atop the AFC North when they head to Carolina? Let’s take a look at how the Bengals and Panthers match up this game.
The Bengals offense looked unstoppable for 26 minutes of their matchup against the Ravens last week, putting up 28 points in the first half. AJ Green, who is one of the best receivers in the league, hauled in three of those touchdowns. The Bengals offense has looked solid, as expected, to start this season. Andy Dalton enters this game 45-70 for 508 yards, 6 TD and 1 INT. While there are some that believe Dalton isn’t a solid quarterback, his play so far this season has said otherwise. Dalton has looked sharp since his interception on his first pass of the season. While the Bengals have more offensive talent, their injury report could hamper their advantage. Running back, Joe Mixon, is currently out due to a knee injury sustained in the game against Baltimore. Mixon has racked up 179 rushing yards with one touchdown so far. With Mixon set to miss some time, Giovani Bernard will now be the number one back. Along with Mixon, third string running back Tra Carson and rookie center Billy Price will be out. The absence of Mixon and Price could play a much bigger part in the result of this game.
On the other side, Carolina can sympathize with the Bengals and the injury woes. The Panthers are without three starting offensive linemen and their pro-bowl tight end, Greg Olsen. With the Panthers offense without a few starters, the pressure will fall on Cam Newton and Christian McCaffery to carry the load. Newton comes into this game with similar numbers to Dalton, except with three touchdowns. Newton is also the leading rusher for Carolina and will need to have a big game if the Panthers have any hope of winning this game. The Panthers have a unique offense and Newton can cause the Bengals some serious problems with his mobility. Even with the lack of offensive talent in this game, the Panthers can attack the Bengals and force them into playing undisciplined football.
Advantage: Bengals
Defense
As we say every week, the Bengals defense is one of the best in football. The Carolina Panthers boast one of the most solid defensive units in the league as well. Coming into this game, Carolina is ranked ahead of the Bengals in points allowed, total yards per game and passing yards per game allowed. The Bengals defense gave up over 300 yards passing to both Andrew Luck and Joe Flacco throughout the first two weeks. Even though they have given up a lot through the air, the Bengals have shut down their opponents rushing attack. The Bengals are giving up an average of 70 yards per game on the ground, which is third best in the league. Both defensive units have a fantastic front seven and are able to put a lot of pressure on the quarterback. The biggest thing to key on in this game are the absences in the Bengals front seven. The Bengals will be missing up to three crucial members on the defense. Vontaze Burfict is suspended for the first four games of the season, while Preston Brown and Michael Johnson are both questionable for the game. If Brown is unable to go, the linebackers will be very young and it will be crucial they play disciplined.
The Panthers defense is solid and like the Bengals, have a nasty front seven. The best part of their front seven, are their fantastic linebackers. Cincinnati native, Luke Kuechly is one of the best linebackers in football and is the leader on defense. Thomas Davis and Shaq Thompson flank Kuechly on the weakside and strongside respectively. There might not be a better three in the league, than that collective unit. Not to be outdone, the front four of Wes Horton, Dontari Poe, Kawaan Short and Mario Addison could be a major thorn in the side of the Bengals offense. The front four have the potential to wreak havoc on Dalton all game long. The Panthers are giving up an average of 132 yards per game on the ground and only 221 through the air. The defensive line racked up six sacks in week one. It will be crucial for the Panthers to put pressure on Dalton and force him into some tough situations and bad throws. All eyes will be on the front seven when the Bengals are on offense because the Panthers defense could make things incredibly difficult for Dalton. If they are unable to get pressure on Dalton, it could be a long day as the Bengals offensive weapons could put up some big numbers.
Advantage: Push
Special Teams
The special teams battle is always one of the biggest in a game. Being able to end a drive with at least three points is crucial. Both kickers are 100% on the season. While kickers are a dime a dozen, both Graham Gano and Randy Bullock have been reliable. On the punting side, Kevin Huber is one of the best and most consistent punters in league, capable of pinning a team inside the 20 yard line with any punt. Huber has punted eight times so far this season with four of those being inside the 20. Only two of his punts have been returned for a total of -2 yards. The Bengals have done a great job on punt coverage, reducing any impact of a big return. Michael Palardy has punted 10 times for the Panthers so far this season for a total of 478 yards. Five of his punts have been inside of the 20. One of those punts was a touchback. Three of his punts have been returned for a total of 16 yards. The big question will be how solid the kickoff coverage will be for both teams. The Bengals should have the advantage on special teams with their returners, coupled with the impressive Kevin Huber.
Coaching
Both Ron Rivera and Marvin Lewis have had successful coaching careers. Both Lewis and Rivera have a career record of over .510. As Bengals fans know, Lewis has yet to win a playoff game, while Rivera coached in a Super Bowl a few years ago. Both have won multiple division titles within the last five seasons. Lewis and the Bengals have won the AFC North four times in his 15 years in the Queen City. Rivera and the Panthers won the NFC South three times in his seven years. This coaching matchup will be determined by which staff makes the most adjustments. Marvin Lewis has always seemed to struggle making adjustments, but this year his staff has done a great job adjusting to how the game has unfolded in front of them.
Advantage: Panthers
This game is a big game for both teams early on in the season. The Bengals have started off great and yet, the national media still thinks they are only a pretender. A win on the road could help establish the Bengals as a solid team in the eyes of many around the country. The Bengals face an incredibly tough matchup next week in Atlanta so a win would be huge for the Bengals. Now is a perfect time to be facing the Panthers, who are mighty banged up. The Bengals defense should have a big game but the key is to stay disciplined and keep Newton contained. The key is to get the ball out of the hands of Dalton quickly and in the hands of his playmakers. Getting the ball out of his hands quickly will help keep the Panthers vaunted front seven at bay. The Panthers have their bye week next week so a win would be huge for them. Newton must have a big day because with the large amount of injuries on the offense, the Panthers don’t have too much room for error. In this game the Bengals offense will do just enough, coupled with another impressive defensive performance for the Bengals to leave Charlotte with a perfect record and place still at the top of the AFC North.
Prediction: Bengals 23-17
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