Week 1: Carolina Panthers (0-0) @ Tampa Bay Bucs (0-0)

Panthers11 · Joined: 23 Dec 2007 Posts: 26303 Location: FSU: Go Noles

It is finally here boys!

VS

Week 1 is upon us, as the Carolina Panthers down to my neck of the woods and take on the Tampa Bay Bucs.

What: A football game omg!
Who: Panthers vs Bucs.
When: Sunday, Sep. 9th, 4:25 PM Est.
Where: See huge stadium picture.
Why: Cause football rules!

Key Matchups:

Brandon Lafell and Greg Olsen vs Bucs secondary. How can the Panthers secondary recievers take advantage of an improved yet still lacking Buccaneers defense?

Greg Hardy or any other rusher that wants to step up vs the Bucs O-line. We know Johnson is a stud, but we need more pass rush. Who will step up?

Munnerlyn (hopefully not) or Norman vs Mike Williams. Williams is no stud, but if we fail to cover anyone opposite Gamble, he could have a huge impact. Can one of these two shut Williams down?

Front 7 vs Doug Martin. Rookie, fresh legs, pumped up for his first game at home, vs a Panthers defense who struggled mightily against the run. Will the addition of Kueckly, Beason, Edwards, and Edwards help contain a RB for once?

Predictions, comments, chats, game reactions go in here!
Let's go boys! This is our year, Kalil said so!

P11's Prediction:
Panthers win 24-16. 1 rushing TD for Tolbert, 2 passing for Newton, 1 to Olsen, one to Smith.
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JF16 Forever

CanadianPanther · Joined: 12 Dec 2011 Posts: 72

I'm hoping we win this game, but it's still iffy to me.

panther dude · Joined: 01 Apr 2007 Posts: 6814 Location: Asheville

Ill put it this way. I think we'll win but Im glad I drafted Vince Jackson and Doug Martin today Laughing

Zithers · Joined: 15 Aug 2010 Posts: 3267

i think we'll win by two scores. whole new scheme/staff. the bucs really lack talent, especially on the defensive side. LBs should be able to handle martin/blount and clark. that pretty much makes it up to the secondary to hold. also, charles johnson vs jeremy trueblood. lol!
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iknowcool · Joined: 15 Apr 2009 Posts: 18061

I don't know how our secondary will match up with Jackson and Williams. I think Gamble should do a fine job on VJ but Munnerlyn on Williams would be asking for trouble. Hopefully Norman plays as well as he talks to allow us to slide Capt in the inside and keep Norman on the outside on Williams. Would be a much better match-up for us. I'm not too worried about Dallas Clark. Not only has he been often injured, we've got three great coverage backers in Kuechly, Beason, and Davis. If they can do their job along with our corners, it will allow Godfrey to do what he does best and that is roam and bait.

My biggest concern will be stopping their running game. I'm liking how our front seven is looking but Nicks is no joke at guard and Martin is one of those short, stout runners that always scares me. We will need to execute on offense to get them away from their running game if we expect to win. I hope Chudzinski realizes this isn't the week to get cute or fancy. That isn't needed for a victory this week. We need to run the rock with Williams, Stewart, and Tolbert. Force them to move Barron into the box and then hit our receivers or even utilize the screen game that gave us great success in '11.

Johnson and Hardy have no excuses. The presence of Nicks scares me but the Edwards Empire should still have much more success in the interior than McClain and Fua did. So with an actual presence in the inside to take up space and hopefully not allow the QB to step up (Dwan is even capable of collapsing the pocket; Ron is primarily the space eater really), those pressures Johnson and Hardy had last year especially early in the season need to be finished off and turned into sacks or hits on Freeman. Regardless of last year, Freeman is a very good quarterback IMO.

The major key will be what Newton has detested from himself in the past. No turnovers. It'll be difficult fending off Tampa if we turn the ball over. After last year when we beat them 86-35 combined in 2 games, those players will be looking for revenge. If we give them any reason to think they are in this game, they will take that opportunity and run with it. We cannot give them that and making a dumb throw or uncharacteristically fumbling the football (ahem, Williams) will give them that thought.

rjkilla · Joined: 01 Jan 2008 Posts: 5382

I'm stoked to see how this d looks with quality veteran talent at the DT spot finally. I could def see the Edwards signing putting us over the hump for a playoff spot. Not to worried about the bucs, just hope we get out injury free
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Zithers · Joined: 15 Aug 2010 Posts: 3267

http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcsouth/post/_/id/38548/bucs-will-try-to-limit-cam-newton

cpanthers178990 · Joined: 19 Jan 2008 Posts: 3335

We should win this game, it won't be as easy as it was last year but I will be worried about our season if we don't beat the Bucs.

Things I want to see:

1. Edwards Elimination, how the two new DTs hold up against the run this year compared to last year.

2. CJ and Hardy, moreso Hardy than CJ but I want to see improvement over last year.

3. The best LB core in the league will finally be in action together (Beason, Davis, Keuchly, Anderson) looking forward to all the trouble they will cause.

4. Captain stays in Nickel, forever.

5. Medlock not missing kicks.

6. Cam Improves from his Rookie Campaign.

7. The WRs behind Smith step up.

8. Oline Gels and gives Cam time and our RBs Holes

9. Stew on the field.

10. Hopefully these replacement refs don't put their hands in the game one way or the other.

11. Last but not least, NO injuries!

Moody · Joined: 21 Nov 2011 Posts: 715 Location: Roma

The Bucs are going to be out for some revenge after the beatings last year. That makes me a bit worried. Never underestimate a team with a chip on their shoulder.

bucsfan333 · Joined: 15 Jun 2007 Posts: 38488 Location: the mitten

Good luck this weekend, boys (but not too much). Here's to an injury free game.

shaX 07 · Joined: 20 Nov 2008 Posts: 1068

I really want us to get through this game without any injuries, and come away with a win of course. But does anyone remember Week 1 last year? We lose Beason for the season when he goes down with a torn achilles. To add insult to injury, he went down on a play in pursuit of a former Panther who ended up scoring a TD on the play (Jeff King).

I am still haunted by that game (thinking of you Patrick Peterson).
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davlar · Joined: 07 Feb 2007 Posts: 1689 Location: Dublin, Ireland

This game scares me a little bit. The Bucs are a revamped team and could spring a surprise. We had better be ready to play hard from the beginning and not sleepwalk.

I'll go with a narrow Panthers win, 24-21.
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Thanks to JammerHammer21 for the sig - Let The Riv-Era Begin!

Moody · Joined: 21 Nov 2011 Posts: 715 Location: Roma

iknowcool · Joined: 15 Apr 2009 Posts: 18061

Odds we get any of these kind of plays by Cam in the game?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOi2hj_sjyY

What a gamer.

boondock · Joined: 03 Jan 2008 Posts: 21251