With a weak passing game Carolina, which missed out on the playoffs in 2018
for just the second time in six years, comes up short again.92
× THE PASSING GAME REMAINS INCON-
SISTENT. Cam Newton is an up-and-
down thrower when fully healthy, and
this year he is coming off surgery on his
right (throwing) shoulder. His strong arm
and toughness in the pocket are offset
by erratic mechanics and
streaky field vision. That’s
especially problematic be-
cause 34-year-old tight end
Greg Olsen, who has missed
16 games over the last two
seasons with foot injuries,
is Newton’s only regular
target taller than 6' 1".
× CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY
TOPS 2,000 TOTAL YARDS.
Patience, balance and vi-
sion make the third-year
back perfect for Carolina’s
ground game, which fea-
tures misdirection, multiple moving pieces
and Newton, the best down-to-down run-
ning QB ever. The offense begins here, with
30-plus rushes a week and a play-action
passing game aimed at taking deep shots.
Those downfield looks also serve to set up
McCaffrey , who makes nearly 90% of
his catches out of the backfield. After the
catch he is superb at turning downhill.× A DEFENSIVE “SWITCH” EQUALS MORE
OF THE SAME. Much has been made about
the Panthers’ defense, which has been a
traditional 4–3, starting to use more 3–4
looks, but that’s all these are: looks. What
matters more is how they defend run gaps
after the snap. They continue playing their
usual one-gap, attack-oriented 4–3 prin-
ciples, built around penetrating tackles
Kawann Short and Gerald McCoy, and
edge men Mario Addison, Bruce Irvin
and first-round rookie Brian Burns. Then
t here’s Luke Kuechly , whose remark-
able speed and play recognition make
him football’s best linebacker by a clear
margin. Carolina joins the
growing group of classic
4–3 defenses that now align
in a 3–4 structure simply
to prevent blockers from
double-teaming defensive
linemen.
× SECOND-YEAR DEFENSIVE
BACKS ARE CAROLINA’S
BELLWETHER. Corner-
back Donte Jackson, a
2018 second-round pick,
ran hot and cold as a rookie,
flashing top-level athleti-
cism but losing on far too
many vertical routes. Third-round safety
Rashaan Gaulden never captured a start-
ing job last year even as veteran Mike
Adams became a liability. The hope is that
Gaulden can beat out a host of middling
veterans to start opposite Eric Reid. The
chemistry and awareness of these young
players determines how the zone-oriented
defense performs.WHAT LIES AHEAD
SI’S 2019
PREDICTION
7 – 9
2018 RECORD 7Ð 9
SEP T. 8
VS. LAR
SEP T. 12
VS. TB
SEP T. 22
@ ARI
SEP T. 2 9
@ HOU
OC T. 6
VS. JAX
OC T. 1 3
(in London)
@ TB
OC T. 2 0
BYE
OC T. 2 7
@ SF
NOV. 3
VS. TEN
NOV. 10
@ GB
NOV. 17
VS. AT L
NOV. 24
@ NO
DEC. 1
VS. WAS
DEC. 8
@ AT L
DEC. 15
VS. SEA
DEC. 22
@ IND
DEC. 29
VS. NO
We
ak
ne
ssQB
17
RB
11
WR/TE
24
OL
18
FRONT 7
7
DB
27
ROB
(^) TR
ING
ALI
(^) ( (^2) )