Patriots will soundly defeat the Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are not a bad team, even though they failed to defeat the New Orleans Saints, a team that has lost not only its facilities but its entire hometown, but they aren’t likely to beat the New England Patriots. No team has figured out how to beat the Patriots defense, with its suffocating downfield coverage and its run-busting front seven. As it stands right now, it seems to me that a team would have to sustain a successful running game to have any shot at beating the Patriots secondary. This year’s front seven is of course weaker than last year’s, with Ted Johnson and Tedy Bruschi out of the game, but it’s still one heck of a nut to crack.
On the other side of the ball, there’s just too darn much for any team to handle on any given Sunday. How about a a shotgun formation with Watson and Graham tight, and Givens, Branch, and Brown spread wide? From that formation the Pats can hit an opponent with 5 good to great receivers, or leave 6 or 7 guys to protect, giving Branch and Divens time to get open downfield, while Brown finds that open space he always finds on the other side of the far stick. A defensive coordinator has to figure out how to protect against that formation and all its plays and variations… and then figure out how to stop the Pats when Dillon is on the field.
Maybe I’m getting a bit hubristic here, but the Patriots offense could become what the Saint Louis Rams were a couple of years ago - maybe a tad less explosive, but more balanced.
But against the Panthers, the Patriots scoring will be a little bit subdued as the Pats new non-offensive coordinator playcaller continues his learning process.
Pats 27, Panthers 13.
