2013 NFL PREDICTIONS!!! (TYLER)
GOING TO CAROLINA IN MY MIND
For Day 26 of my 2013 NFL Predictions i will be breaking down the CAROLINA PANTHERS!
You can't talk the Carolina Panthers without talking about QB Cam Newton. Newton has impressive measurables for a Quarterback and is very athletically gifted. He showed sparks of greatness his rookie year in the league but has struggled since to show he can improve on that season. He has some weapons to work with on offense starting with RBs Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams carrying the load out of the backfield. TE Greg Olsen is serviceable. WRs Steve Smith, Brandon LaFell, and Ted Ginn Jr. should provide adequate targets for Cam Newton to throw to. The defense on this team is where they struggle the most. Outside of LBs Jon Beason and youngster Luke Kuechly along with CB Drayton Florence this defense gets beat up, and it doesn't help they are in the same division as Atlanta (Matt Ryan) and New Orleans (Drew Brees). How did the Panthers view themselves and work in the draft? Lets take a look.
ROUND 1: Star Lotulelei DT (Utah)
ROUND 2: Kawann Short DT (Purdue)
ROUND 4: Edmund Kugbila OG (Valdosta State)
ROUND 5: A.J. Klein ILB (Iowa State)
ROUND 6: Kenjon Barner RB (Oregon)
I'm not overly impressed with the Panthers draft. Obviously the picks of Star Lotulelei and Kawann Short will go a long way to shore up a D-Line that has been terrible. But i don't really see a ton of help coming from very few draft picks, then they use their 5th round pick on an ILB when their biggest strength on defense is linebacker. With that said getting the best player available in the 6th round i won't scoff at. I don't really see Carolina keeping both DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart after this year, so Kenjon Barner is a nice late pickup. Now how will the Panthers fare this year? Go ahead and peek below.
OPPONENTS W/L
SEATTLE L
@ BUFFALO L
NEW YORK GIANTS W
BYE WEEK
@ ARIZONA W
@ MINNESOTA L
ST. LOUIS W
@ TAMPA BAY (THURSDAY) L
ATLANTA W
@ SAN FRANCISCO L
NEW ENGLAND (MONDAY) L
@ MIAMI L
TAMPA BAY L
@ NEW ORLEANS L
NEW YORK JETS W
NEW ORLEANS L
@ ATLANTA L
FINAL RECORD 5 - 11
Analysis: I basically see a team that will win games when they get overlooked, but won't win outright battles. Example... The Giants week 3 just finish playing Denver and are planning to travel to Kansas City after this trip to Carolina, and Atlanta will be getting back from playing in Arizona and looking forward to getting Seattle at home after their bout with Carolina. I think this team will be able to put up some points cause that's what Cam does on offense, but i still see the defense, especially the backfield giving up a lot.
This is my prediction. What is yours?
this team to me isn't too exciting it's going to be the same team as last year an immature qb no talent other than Smith on offense and a little better defense but some of the teams they play this year I feel are equally as bad and they may get some wins I think you are good on this one with four maybe five wins
ReplyDelete(casey) I think your underestimating what this Defense picked up in the draft, Star is a perfect fit at NT and will start right of the bat and secure that line along with Short, But I think the steal was AJ Klein, The dude was a beast and holds an NCAA record of scoring 4 TD's off picks. He ran a 4.6 40 at 230 lbs and was named Big 12 co player of the year in 2011 and All Big 12 in 2012. Along with Blackburn (former Giant) they should be good not great but good! That all said they are in a division that chucks the ball around and I'm not sure how the secondary will hold up!
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