It’s week four in the NFL and the Carolina Panthers visit the New England Patriots for some Sunday afternoon action at Gillette Stadium. Are you ready for some football?
Hey New England Patriots fans,
We’re on to Carolina!
Oh, wait! We did win that Texans game. Whew! Just a bit of Tom Brady magic. Not looking forward to the post-Brady era.
Amother look at Tom Brady's pass to Brandin Cooks for a Touchdown with :23 left. pic.twitter.com/Ckpob4HDfn
— Boston Sports News (@BostonSprtsNews) September 24, 2017
I just wish He would help me understand the odds-makers’ logic. Their prognostications seem to make about as much sense as most of the President’s declarations.
Will Week 4 be as competitive as week three?
Let’s review: The New England Patriots creamed the New Orleans Saints. The Saints then creamed the Panthers. Then, last week, the Patriots were 13.5 point favorites over the Texans. Instead they nearly lost, winning in the last seconds. Now the Panthers are coming to Foxborough and the Patriots are only 9 point favorites. Where’s the logic in that?
I mean, does anyone really believe the Panthers are better than the Texans? If there were any logic, the Carolinians would be more than 13.5 point underdogs.
The answer, of course, is that this is the NFL where Parity Rules (kinda). The maxim is “Any Given Sunday”, and every dog has his day. Heck, even Cleveland won a game last year! Last year? Try last week: the Bears beat the Steelers? C’mon! The rebuilding New York Jets stomped the well-regarded Dolphins into the sod? Say it ain’t so! And then Buffalo – Buffalo, mind you! – broke the Broncos’ backs 26-16? Ye gods!
So who knows? Maybe Carolina will pull into Gillette and pull out a miracle. I doubt it, but after last week, I’m not betting on anything. Coach Stoneface would be the first to tell you – after he tells the team– that the Panthers have the talent to do it.
After all, it’s the NFL’s number one offense going against the NFL’s Number One defense. (One has to wonder why this is a 1 p.m. game.) And, as we all have heard, and almost saw last week, defense wins football games.
Who are they? Panthers defense vs Patriots offense
Former Patriot Steve Israel (now based in North Carolina) told Mike Reiss that the Cats’ interior defense is top two in the league thanks to Vernon Butler, Star Lotulelei, and Kawann Short. Israel also gives high marks to the defensive ends Julius Pepper, Mario Addison, and Charles Johnson.
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In fact, the New England Patriots have called three time All-Pro Luke Kuechly “the best pass-game linebacker in the NFL” (he might cover Gronk Sunday) who is nearly matched by speedy Shaq Thompson, the other LB.
The Gronk-Kuechly match-up will be a treat to watch as always, especially with Kuechly coming out this week saying “I might’ve got away with one there. I’m not even going to act like I didn’t” in reference to his egregious uncalled end-zone hold of Gronk at the end of the Patriots-Panthers game in 2013, resulting in a Panthers victory
If rookie Deshaun Watson gave the Pats fits with his running ability last week – four tackles missed him at one point – then his inspiration, Cam Newton, ought to positively ghost the Pats’ defense! Or so Bill might say, conveniently overlooking that Cam is currently a shadow of his Super Bowl self.
Luckily for the Pats’ offensive line, Marcus Cannon will most likely return this week. Even so, they’ll have their work cut out for them.
Who are they? Patriots defense vs Panthers offense
On the opposite side, the Pat’s defense should have it comparatively easier as Israel called the Panthers’ offensive line the “weakest group on the team”. That will certainly help since NE’s defense is the worst in the NFL currently.
I’m actually more worried about the hands of Carolina’s lead running back, Christian McCaffrey, who turned heads last week with a 100-yard receiving game while leading the Panthers with 18 receptions. His running stats?
Related Story: New England Patriots will have their hands full with Christian McCaffrey
Not so much. However, he seems like the kind of guy who can break a game wide open with a big play such as Kansas City’s Kareem Hunt consistently did a few weeks ago.
Their actual wide receivers, Kelvin Benjamin and Devin Funchess, will tower over Stephon Gilmore and Malcolm Butler. However, Benjamin is nursing a sore knee and has yet to catch a TD. Butler, by the by, improved significantly last week so I expect him to start over Eric Rowe who is still groin-impaired. Both cornerbacks have lots of experience handling big receivers.
Over all, I feel more comfortable about this one – kiss of death? I hope not – than I did about the Texans game. Defensively, I don’t care a fig about Newton. I don’t think the Panthers can match the Texans’ output while I expect our defense will be better than last week.
Offensively, with Cannon back, hopefully, the offensive line should be able to keep the Panthers defense at bay, allowing Tom, Gronk, Brandin, both James (White and Develin), Mike (Gillislee), and Danny to overwhelm the Carolinians.
Final Score: Patriots 31 Panthers 24
Go Pats!
Squib Notes:
– Dont’a Hightower: the Boston Herald reports that the defensive leader will be playing this week!
– Tight Ends: Continuing the conversation about Jacob Hollister and Dwayne Allen, last week’s performances laid an exclamation point on it. Dwayne dropped a perfectly placed pass while Jacob caught a tough one. It will be interesting to see howthe snap count looks after the game.
– Gronk: so it was Mr. Gronkowski who deflected the Hail Mary pass in the end zone last week. He’ll happily tell you that he can now say he plays both offense and defense! He actually mentioned his enjoyment of playing defensive end in his pre-NFL days. “”If they put me at D-end ever, you’d see I’m a hybrid D-end, maybe one day I’ll switch to it. I’ve thought about that.”
– Phil Dorsett: maybe this will be the week we see a lot of the speedy receiver make a few more contributions as he is ready to go for week four.
– Rex Burkhead: was back on the practice field this week but is doubtful for this week.
– Danny Trevathan: I hope that the NFL makes an example of brutal Bears Bully Trevathan who leveled hapless receiver Davante Adams. Fox’s Mike Pereira said it was the first crown of the helmet call in four years. No reason for a hit that knocked Adams out and had him carried off the field on a stretcher after the Packers’ pass-catcher was already stopped. Thankfully, Adams seems to be recovering well so far. I hope the NFL at least suspends Trevathan.
– Dubious Defense: ESPN’s Aaron Schatz writes that the Pats are not likely to end up in the Super Bowl this year due to their defense. We’ll see, Adam, we’ll see. It’s a long season and it’s hardly started. In any case, it’s the kind of billboard material that the team loves to feast upon!
– “That’s why we’re Patriots Fans!” – all Patriots fans – as Brandin Cooks perfectly hauled in the winning touchdown from TB-12.
Next: New England Patriots: 5 players who will step up vs. Carolina Panthers
Last word on last week:
ESPN’s First Take co-host Max Kellerman has continuously talked about Tom Brady hitting the quarterback cliff to retirement. However, three games in to the season, not only are there no signs of it, but Brady is showing us that Brady magic as though it as the first time. Moments like Brady’s comeback remind us of how lucky we are to have him at the helm, and while I am excited for Jimmy Garappolo, this season is all about what we already have.