On a random night in November, pockets of folks on NBA Twitter talk about a meaningless game in the first 20 games of an 82-game season. They’d troll and say asinine things like Steph’s legacy, CP3’s legacy, LeBron’s legacy…etc, is on the line tonight like these guys and their peers’ accomplishments are automatically invalid with a loss.
In week five of the season, should positions and roles be on the line if the Carolina Panthers crash to 1-4? If they don’t want to answer that question this week, here are three ways Carolina can win against the visiting San Francisco 49ers.
Contain Deebo
Stopping Niners’ wide receiver Deebo Samuel is a task that’s easier said than done, but there is a blueprint that the Panthers should’ve been paying attention to all week in preparation for the game. San Francisco likes to use variations of plays with Samuel in the slot and in the backfield-using sweeps and end-arounds to keep defenses off balance.
The Chicago Bears were able to beat the Niners and slow down Samuel by getting seven or more men to the ball- swarming and making sure the gaps are occupied. When the Niners try to tilt the field, the Panthers need to keep the leverage where it’s necessary so they won’t be outmanned on one side.
Establish the Run and Short Passes
I know this is counterproductive since the Niners lead the league in rush defense, however, the Panthers will have to force the run in hopes of controlling the time of possession. A steady diet of rushes from Christian McCaffrey, Chuba Hubbard and D’onta Foreman, and mixture of short passes is will move the chains and give the defense much needed rest…because they will need it.
Apply Pressure
While San Francisco has the advantage defensively, that doesn’t mean that the Panthers’ defense cant make an impact. Brian Burns has recorded three sacks and 10 quarterback pressures on the year. Frankie Luvu has been impactful. Currently, he is graded at 70.0 in run defense and 70.7 in rush coverage. The Panthers thrive when they are loading up the box and rushing – putting pressure on the quarterback. If I were Phil Snow, I would also deploy Luvu in different spots to take advantage of his versatility. I’d have him alternating between the SAM and MIKE, where he can also burst through gaps and play drop coverage on some receivers and tight ends.