Opponent Preview: Eagles Prepare For Monday Night Vs. Cam Newton And Panthers
By Kevin McGuire
The Philadelphia Eagles get ready to return home in a primetime match-up next Monday night against the Carolina Panthers. After winning a game in Houston, the Eagles sit alone in first place in the NFC East, but the struggling Panthers hope to play a bit of a spoiler role while also finding a way to remain in a complicated NFC South battle with the New Orleans Saints.
Record
The Carolina Panthers enter the week with a record of 3-5-1. That includes a record of 1-2-1 away from home, with the tie coming at Cincinnati earlier this season. Carolina is one game behind the New Orleans Saints for first place in the NFC South.
The Eagles are 5-2 all-time against the Panthers, and 5-1 in regular season match-ups. Since losing to the Panthers in the 2004 NFC Championship Game, the Eagles have won three of four meetings. The last time the two teams played was November 26, 2012, with the Eagles losing at home by a score of 30-22. A late touchdown run by Cam Newton sealed a victory as the Panthers outscored the Eagles 9-0 in the fourth quarter.
Panthers on Offense
The Panthers appear to have some nice young talent and potential on offense, but the unit is just not getting it done this season. Carolina ranks 20th in passing and 26th in rushing. Scoring has come at a premium lately too, with the Panthers being held to fewer than 20 points in each of their last three games. The Panthers have been held to 20 points or fewer a total of six times this season. Considering the talent available on the roster for Carolina, the offensive struggles have been a bit puzzling, but the Eagles defense cannot assume anything the way they have been playing this season.
Panthers on Defense
Carolina’s 4-3 defense has only been marginally better than the offense as well. Entering the week, Carolina ranks 17th in the NFL against the pass and 26th against the run. This means the Eagles should be able to have some success on the ground with LeSean McCoy, Darren Sproles and a dash of Chris Polk. The Panthers allow 131.9 rushing yards per game, and the Eagles would be wise to take to the ground to limit the need for Mark Sanchez to feel a need to make too many things happen at quarterback.
Panthers Players to Watch
Kelvin Benjamin, Wide Receiver: The rookie wide receiver out of Florida State has shown why the Panthers used a first round pick on him this season. To date, Benjamin has been accountable for 589 receiving yards and five touchdowns, using his 6’5”, 240-pound frame and good hands to his advantage. He should be one of Cam Newton’s primary targets Monday night.
Luke Kuechly, Linebacker: The anchor in the middle of the Carolina defense is third-year linebacker Luke Kuechly. His tackling skills are as solid as just about any player in the league, and he will not be easy for any Eagles player to get by if the ball comes near him. He is in the middle of a struggling defense, but has the ability to be a strong leader for years to come.
Outlook
The way things are going this season for the Eagles and Panthers, this looks to be a very good match-up for Philadelphia. Returning home after two hard-fought game son the road in Arizona and Houston, the struggling Panthers look to be a good team to take on this week to potentially have an easier week. But Cam Newton can go off on any given week, and Chip Kelly knows just how dangerous Newton can be. Kelly coached Oregon in the BCS Championship Game against Newton’s Auburn. Kelly’s Ducks managed to slow down Newton and his offense enough to have a shot at winning a title, but Newton proved just too strong when it counted most. All of that is history now, of course, but Kelly is not going to take Newton lightly. Nor should he.
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Kevin McGuire is a Philadelphia area sports writer covering the Philadelphia Eagles and college football. McGuire is a member of the FWAA and National Football Foundation. Follow McGuire on Twitter @KevinOnCFB. His work can be found on Examiner.com.
