Lost amid the Cam Newton drama and the Kyle Allen hype drain is the fact that this Carolina Panthers defense is really really good. The Panthers are giving up 4.3 yards play, second in the league behind the New England Patriots, who for all the hype their defense is getting, have played three 0-3 teams that rank 30th, 31st, and 32nd in total offense so far this season.
But I digress.
The Panthers have the league’s best defense on a per play basis among teams that have played at least one competent opponent. After the Panthers is a three way tie between the Rams, Bears, and 49ers at 4.7 yards per play allowed, nearly a half yard worse than the Panthers.
The Panthers got here with a stifling pass defense. Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray took to the air 43 times on Sunday and only managed to pick up 173 passing yards while throwing two picks and taking eight sacks. The Panthers need a repeat of that performance against a Houston Texans team that’s loaded with weapons. Here’s what they’ll have to do:
- Get to Deshaun Watson. Watson is far and away the best quarterback the Panthers have faced so far this season. He’s an aggressive downfield thrower, currently sixth in the NFL in average depth of target and third in average depth of completion. That aggressiveness opens a door the Panther can attack.
Here’s the best way I can describe the Texans pass protection—Deshaun Watson was sacked twice last week, and the general reaction surrounding the offensive line’s performance was that they did a phenomenal job. Watson had been sacked ten times in the previous two weeks after taking a league high 62 sacks in 2018. If the Panthers are going to limit this Texans offense, it starts with them getting to its quarterback. The Panthers are capable of that. Only the Jaguars and Patriots have more sacks than the 12 the Panthers have registered this season.
- Limit big plays down field. I alluded to this above. Deshaun Watson likes to throw the ball down the field, and for good reason. Will Fuller and Kenny Stills are two of the NFL’s best deep threats, and DeAndre Hopkins is arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL. The Panthers need to make the Texans earn every yard they get. Don’t let them change the course of the game with one big play.
The Texans offense doesn’t look statistically imposing largely because of a dud they laid against Jacksonville in Week 2. But this is a very good and very balanced offense. There’s no telling what the Panthers are going to do on offense with Kyle Allen under center for another week, so the defense may need to be leaned on.