The best thing the Panthers did last week to increase chances of a win this week...

[Jeremy Igo]

By the Panthers just showing a little bit of Cam Newton running on a designed play it completely changed what defenses need to do against the Panthers now. Up until then, they hadn't spent much time worrying about Cam taking off. Even Marvin Lewis said they hadn't been worried about it until this week.

 

Now that they have seen it, the defense has to change significantly on how to cover the Panthers. Edges have to be contained instead of pushing forward to the pocket. Translation: Good news for Bell and Chandler

 

[Hotsauce]

Great point. We need to take as much pressure off our oline as possible. Hopefully we run Cam early. We do this and it not only will it give Cam more time, but it helps our run game, which we have to get going if we are going to beat the Bengals.

[tondi]

We also need to have Can working on his snap counts so we aren't always snapping the ball on the first hard count. It seems like the opposing DEs are getting huge jumps due to the predictability of our snap count. Throw in a few hard counts to draw them offsides a few times and you automatically slow them down the rest of the time. With two shaky tackles who are so susceptible to the outside speed rush I am surprised we have seen virtually none of this.

[Mol3m4n]

I hadn't really thought of this. Great evaluation Jeremy.

[Smithers]

Great point. The fact that McDermott also disguised our defensive coverages more in the second half...dropping linebackers and sometimes even a lineman into coverage and cutting back on blitz calls...also helps a ton. Before the second half last week the formula to beat our defense was simple: use quick, short screens. Our adjustments (finally) prevented the Bears from doing that in the second half and now forces teams to reconsider their strategy. We were a much better defense when we cut back on blitzing. And believe it or not, we got more pressure in the second half with just the front four than we did the last 2 and a half weeks when blitzing everyone. I just hope McDermott learned his lesson and carries this strategy into today's game.

[mbarbour21]

They may test it first tho. He scrambled, but it wasnt like Cam of old. But yeh, they will have to respect his ability, limited or not.

[Mr Mojo Risin]

Who are the bengals pass rushers now that michael johnson is in tb?

[KendrickPanther]

On the Pitch to Philly brown. Cam first fakes the hand off to Darrin Reeves, the DE sold out on Reeves, that freed him up to occupy the linebacker before the pitch. It will be interesting to see how the defense reacts this week.

[KendrickPanther]

Who are the bengals pass rushers now that michael johnson is in tb?

 

They have some talented DTs. Devon Still, Geno Atkins, Domato Peko... Margus Hunt was a big prospect at DE a few years ago but I haven't followed his career. Carlos Dunlap is a pretty good pass rusher too.

[xerxes]

This Sunday Cam Newton stars in:

 

Bengals vs Panthers: Superman Unleashed.

 

[CARuthless]

I thought you were gonna say win the turnover battle but that's a given for every game, but yes Cam is long overdue for a rushing TD