Dangerous Game: The Carolina Panthers Could Challenge Chiefs

Dangerous Game: The Carolina Panthers Could Challenge Chiefs – This Sunday’s match-up, against the Carolina Panthers, just might be the toughest the Kansas City Chiefs defense has faced all season. On the surface, that statement seems ludicrous. The Chiefs have rolled over the Baltimore Ravens and the Buffalo Bills: both regarded as playoff teams with a dynamic QB. Neither statement can be made about a Panthers team with a losing record and a solid, but not spectacular QB, in Teddy Bridgewater. However, they are more than capable of putting up a real fight. Examining DVOA — a stat which measures a team’s performance against opponents compared to the average — paints a picture of an incredibly balanced team. Frank Clark dealing with an injury and Chris Jones being in Covid protocol (though not positive), add to the difficulty (Editor’s Note: Chris Jones was cleared on Friday and may play on Sunday). Still Chiefs should come out on top as their offense rolls over a young Carolina Defense.

Offensive Balance (DVOA)

The Panthers rank 11^th in Passing DVOA and 11^th in Rushing DVOA. Being very solid at everything they do makes them difficult to defend. Steve Spagnuolo has done great work, by and large, with a jumble of various players and a few stars on defense. He’s done so by formulating excellent game-plans that are tailored to an opponent’s weaknesses. This has allowed him to cover for some significant problems, with the linebacker core, pass rush and even, at times, the secondary. Most of Chiefs’ opponents have been lopsided in their aptitudes. The Los Angeles Chargers rank 7^th in Passing DVOA, but 26^th in Rushing DVOA. The Baltimore Ravens rank 24^th in Passing DVOA but 2^nd in Rushing DVOA. The Buffalo Bills rank 5^th in Passing DVOA but 25^th in Rushing DVOA. Carolina offers the first truly balanced team (unless you count the Jets being bad at everything) that Spags has faced this year. With Christian McCaffrey returning, a pick your poison scenario unfolds, where the Chiefs must either stack the box and risk getting burned deep, or allow Carolina to drive the length of the field and then hope they can stop them, in the red zone.

Defensive Injuries

K.C. spent much of the off-Season assembling quality depth on the Defensive Line and it has been tested, relentlessly. Alex Okafor’s struggle to stay healthy which has kept him from contributing in any significant way. Mike Danna has missed significant time as well, ending up on IR before returning, last week. Even Taco Charlton has missed some time due to injury. After things were finally starting to look up, this week, the Chiefs may lose Chris Jones to the Covid list and might see a limited Frank Clark, due to a knee injury. Charvarius Ward has seemed to struggle ever since he broke his hand and his potential replacement, L’Jarius Sneed, remains unavailable, for the time being, likely to return after the Bye week. All of this could add to what promises to be a tough game against a quality Offense, with few glaring flaws.

Reid and Mahomes

While the match-up, with the Panthers, may not be as easy as fans might expect, K.C. should be able to secure a win on the strength of their offense, behind Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes. Panthers rank 20^th against the pass and 26^th against the run. The Panthers have some exciting young pieces, like their athletic Linebacker Jeremy Chinn, but the overall group is a work in progress.

Understanding what the defense is up against, Reid needs to call a quality, aggressive game. Developing an early lead can force the opposing offense to be more predictable, allowing Spagnuolo to work his magic. This is not a week that the Chiefs can afford to come out sluggish and make mistakes. The offense needs to be firing on all cylinders and should be able to do so. A lapse of focus here, before the bye week, could drop them out of contention for the one seed.

Summary: Dangerous Game

Steve Spagnuolo and the defense will have to be on point. Unlike most of their opponents, there’s nothing you can ‘dare’ the Panthers to do that they can’t do. The Chiefs will have to lean on a balanced game plan till the offense can jump out to a two score lead, forcing the Panthers to lean on the passing game. Injuries could play a significant role, in this game. Teddy Bridgewater has been sacked the 11^th most, in the NFL this year, but if Chris Jones can’t go and possibly lacking a peak performance from Frank Clark, Chiefs could struggle to get pressure. All of that could be a moot point though, as Patrick Mahomes and the offense should make quick work of a poor performing Panthers defense. Expect a high-scoring game, provided the Chiefs don’t shoot themselves in the foot. If the Kansas City defense is, somehow, able to contain Carolina successfully, it will be a sign that the players are no longer completely dependent on the scheme and can hold their own, even without the advantage of superior coaching.

Ransom Hawthorne — ArrowheadOne

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