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[Daily Discussion Thread] Game Thread Links Inside + Return-to-Play Q&As - 05 Aug 2020
Use this DAILY thread below to comment and talk about anything related to hockey, ask quick questions, or any other daily chatter. This thread is also a hub for links to Game Day Threads, daily stats and standings, and a way to compile recent news and announcements for easy viewing.
Today's Games
Yesterday's Games
Playoffs (Stanley Cup Qualifier)
Round-Robin
Eastern
| Rank | Team | GP | W | L | OT | P | RP% |
| 1 | TBL | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.657 |
| 2 | PHI | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.645 |
| 3 | WSH | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.652 |
| 4 | BOS | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.714 |
Western
| Rank | Team | GP | W | L | OT | P | RP% |
| 1 | COL | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.657 |
| 2 | VGK | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.606 |
| 3 | STL | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.662 |
| 4 | DAL | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.594 |
Regular Threads
Mod News/Threads
/hockey stands with BLM and the fight against racism
Though it shouldn't be a surprise with the multitude of threads from players and organizations alike filling
/hockey and compiled just down below,
we did want to make it explicit that
/hockey has and will continue to fight against racism in all its forms.
We think the murder of George Floyd by the hands of police is abhorrent. We will continue to lift the voices of the hockey community that speak up against racism by ensuring their posts make it to
/hockey for those to read.
And we
will continue to enforce and remove any comments or racist remarks as well as all bigotry, sexism and xenophobia.
For a list of ways to donate, get involved or see how you can be a part of #BLM please follow this fantastic link:
https://www.timeout.com/things-to-do/how-to-support-black-lives-matter Linked is a running catalog of all players, GMs, coaches, and organizations who have spoken up regarding the current news regarding George Floyd and the protests across the US. Return-to-Play/Playoffs FAQs and COVID-19 News
The spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) is affecting the hockey world. Feel free to discuss it here. If you want medical information about the disease, consult with your physician and/or relevant authorities.
FAQs
NHL's FAQ (16-page PDF) -
home, if link doesn't work Compiled by
sandman730 and
fireislander. Want to help?
Message the mods and we'll give you access. - What's the timeline to return? The Qualifying Round is ongoing, with the NHL in "Phase 4" (teams can have up to 31 players at hub cities).
- What's the playoff schedule? Here.
- What is the broadcast/streaming schedule? Most exhibition games and the qualifying round games will be broadcast by the local broadcast networks. Livestreaming options include: NHL.TV in the US (local blackouts apply) and SN Now or NHL Live in Canada. Aug 1-5 schedule. SportsNet's schedule. NBC's schedule. NHL Press Release.
- What about blackouts for streaming services? See this Aug 1-5 schedule to see which games are supported.
- What does the NHL critical dates calendar look like? When is each round expected to start? Here.
- Where are the hub cities? Edmonton is hosting the Western Conference, and Toronto the Eastern. The Conference Finals and Stanley Cup Final will take place in Edmonton.
- What does "unfit to participate" mean? This does not necessarily mean the player has tested positive for COVID-19, which will not be disclosed due to privacy. It could mean injury, illness (COVID-19 or otherwise), etc. Typical injury designations (upper body, lower body, illness) will not be used.
- Who has been deemed "unfit to participate"? Here is a link to a list of players. Note: Due to the nature of return-to-play, this list will be constantly changing.
- Who are on the rosters? Rosters for Phase 4.
- Will there be an NHL Bracket challenge? When does it start? Yes! You are welcome to join us here. It appears to start with Round 1.
- How will the games look and sound like? Here is a rendering. The NHL uses teams' goal horns and songs, in-arena music compilations, fan-submitted motivational videos and chants, and EA Sports' library of in-game sounds.
- How will the first overall pick be determined? There will be a subsequent drawing on August 10, when the 8 eliminated teams will each have an equal chance (12.5%). If the postseason is cancelled, the 8 lowest seeded qualifying teams will participate in the drawing.
- Will teams be allowed to sign new players to play in this postseason? Yes. They can practice, but cannot play.
- Will statistics for the Qualifying Round and Round-Robin count as playoff stats? Yes.
- How will seeding work? The top 4 seeds will be determined by the Round-Robin, with regular-season points percentage (RP%) as the sole tie-breaker. Matchups for the First and Second Rounds will be determined by seed: the highest remaining seed in each conference will face the lowest remaining seed, the second-highest will face the second-lowest, etc.
- How will overtime work? The round-robin will follow the regular season OT rules, while the qualifying series will follow playoff OT rules. An estimated 66 minutes will be needed between games, so games that go over may result in delays for later games.
- What will the health policies be for Phase 4? Some details can be found here. Phase 4 Protocols (28-page PDF).
Join the /Hockey NHL Bracket Challenge
See this thread for full details and to join the bracket challenge. Some useful resources
If you have specific feedback about these threads please message the mods. Bot is maintained by sandman730. Message him with any bugs.
submitted by hockeydiscussionbot to hockey [link] [comments]
[Daily Discussion Thread] Game Thread Links Inside + Return-to-Play Q&As - 04 Aug 2020
Use this DAILY thread below to comment and talk about anything related to hockey, ask quick questions, or any other daily chatter. This thread is also a hub for links to Game Day Threads, daily stats and standings, and a way to compile recent news and announcements for easy viewing.
Today's Games
Yesterday's Games
Playoffs (Stanley Cup Qualifier)
Round-Robin
Eastern
| Rank | Team | GP | W | L | OT | P | RP% |
| 1 | TBL | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.657 |
| 2 | PHI | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.645 |
| 3 | WSH | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.652 |
| 4 | BOS | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.714 |
Western
| Rank | Team | GP | W | L | OT | P | RP% |
| 1 | COL | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.657 |
| 2 | VGK | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.606 |
| 3 | STL | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.662 |
| 4 | DAL | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.594 |
Regular Threads
Mod News/Threads
/hockey stands with BLM and the fight against racism
Though it shouldn't be a surprise with the multitude of threads from players and organizations alike filling
/hockey and compiled just down below,
we did want to make it explicit that
/hockey has and will continue to fight against racism in all its forms.
We think the murder of George Floyd by the hands of police is abhorrent. We will continue to lift the voices of the hockey community that speak up against racism by ensuring their posts make it to
/hockey for those to read.
And we
will continue to enforce and remove any comments or racist remarks as well as all bigotry, sexism and xenophobia.
For a list of ways to donate, get involved or see how you can be a part of #BLM please follow this fantastic link:
https://www.timeout.com/things-to-do/how-to-support-black-lives-matter Linked is a running catalog of all players, GMs, coaches, and organizations who have spoken up regarding the current news regarding George Floyd and the protests across the US. Return-to-Play/Playoffs FAQs and COVID-19 News
The spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) is affecting the hockey world. Feel free to discuss it here. If you want medical information about the disease, consult with your physician and/or relevant authorities.
FAQs
NHL's FAQ (16-page PDF) -
home, if link doesn't work Compiled by
sandman730 and
fireislander. Want to help?
Message the mods and we'll give you access. - What's the timeline to return? The Qualifying Round is ongoing, with the NHL in "Phase 4" (teams can have up to 31 players at hub cities).
- What's the playoff schedule? Here.
- What is the broadcast/streaming schedule? Most exhibition games and the qualifying round games will be broadcast by the local broadcast networks. Livestreaming options include: NHL.TV in the US (local blackouts apply) and SN Now or NHL Live in Canada. Aug 1-5 schedule. SportsNet's schedule. NBC's schedule. NHL Press Release.
- What about blackouts for streaming services? See this Aug 1-5 schedule to see which games are supported.
- What does the NHL critical dates calendar look like? When is each round expected to start? Here.
- Where are the hub cities? Edmonton is hosting the Western Conference, and Toronto the Eastern. The Conference Finals and Stanley Cup Final will take place in Edmonton.
- What does "unfit to participate" mean? This does not necessarily mean the player has tested positive for COVID-19, which will not be disclosed due to privacy. It could mean injury, illness (COVID-19 or otherwise), etc. Typical injury designations (upper body, lower body, illness) will not be used.
- Who has been deemed "unfit to participate"? Here is a link to a list of players. Note: Due to the nature of return-to-play, this list will be constantly changing.
- Who are on the rosters? Rosters for Phase 4.
- Will there be an NHL Bracket challenge? When does it start? Yes! You are welcome to join us here. It appears to start with Round 1.
- How will the games look and sound like? Here is a rendering. The NHL uses teams' goal horns and songs, in-arena music compilations, fan-submitted motivational videos and chants, and EA Sports' library of in-game sounds.
- How will the first overall pick be determined? There will be a subsequent drawing on August 10, when the 8 eliminated teams will each have an equal chance (12.5%). If the postseason is cancelled, the 8 lowest seeded qualifying teams will participate in the drawing.
- Will teams be allowed to sign new players to play in this postseason? Yes. They can practice, but cannot play.
- Will statistics for the Qualifying Round and Round-Robin count as playoff stats? Yes.
- How will seeding work? The top 4 seeds will be determined by the Round-Robin, with regular-season points percentage as the sole tie-breaker. Matchups for the First and Second Rounds will be determined by seed: the highest remaining seed in each conference will face the lowest remaining seed, the second-highest will face the second-lowest, etc.
- How will overtime work? The round-robin will follow the regular season OT rules, while the qualifying series will follow playoff OT rules. An estimated 66 minutes will be needed between games, so games that go over may result in delays for later games.
- What will the health policies be for Phase 4? Some details can be found here. Phase 4 Protocols (28-page PDF).
Join the /Hockey NHL Bracket Challenge
See this thread for full details and to join the bracket challenge. Some useful resources
If you have specific feedback about these threads please message the mods. Bot is maintained by sandman730. Message him with any bugs.
submitted by hockeydiscussionbot to hockey [link] [comments]
I have solved the problem of world rugby and tier 2 teams not getting enough games.
 | Lets get the disclosure out of the way. While I am a bit of a traditionalist, I love the 6 nations, and I loved the 5 nations before that, this solution makes both the 6 nations and the rugby championship defunct. I also haven't considered schedule, that's for discussion. This is largely based on the NFL model which is a marvellously balanced competition, but with some key twists. The basic tenet of this plan is to - Start with the worlds top 32 teams (based on the world rankings as of today 21/10/19) and divide them into 8 divisions of four teams.
- The divisions are organised roughly into 4 geographical areas of the globe (East/West/North/South).
- Each geographical area has two divisions, a top and bottom division or tier1 and tier 2 division (e.g. East Division 1, East Division 2 etc etc).
- Having divided the teams out into the roughly (and in some cases really rough) geographical allocations, the 8 teams for each location are arranged in world rugby ranking order (to begin with).
If you still follow this leaves us with a divisional set up as per the attached picture: https://preview.redd.it/3ymckzv1fwt31.png?width=665&format=png&auto=webp&s=76a0d2865ebda72466b280814bb011fdb0e1f3e3 Now, this is how it works. - This is an annual competition.
- 5 points for a win, 2 for a draw, bonus points available in the same vein as World Cup Pools.
- Each year, every team plays the other teams in their own division once [3 games each].
- Each year, every division is assigned another division from the same tier. Each country plays every team in this assigned division once [4 games each]. This assignment is on a 3 year cycle. E.g. North Division 1 would be assigned West Division 1 in 2020, South Division 1 in 2021, East Division 1 in 2022, before cycling round again.
- Each year, every division is assigned another division from the opposite tier. Each country plays every team in this assigned division once [4 games each]. This assignment is on a 4 year cycle. E.g. North Division 1 would be assigned North Division 2 in 2020, East Division 2 in 2021, South Division 2 in 2022 and West Division 2 in 2023, before cycling round again.
- So far we are at 11 games for everyone in a year (i.e. one less than a Six Nations team currently plays).
- At this point, the divisional order will have changed according to points accrued in the system described in the 2nd bullet point above.
Playoffs - There are two playoff competitions on completion of the divisional games. Tier 1 playoffs and Tier 2 playoffs.
- The top teams from each tier 1 division are organised into two semi final matches. The winners of the semis go on to play a grand final. The tier 2 divisional winners have their own version of the same format and every year we have a Tier 1 Champion and Tier 2 Champion.
- Championship games roam (like the Superbowl) and alternate hemispheres so that on opposite years the Northern hemisphere gets the Tier 1 Championship game and the Tier 2 Championship game and vice versa.
- After all this, semi finalists have played 12 games in the year (the same number as a Six Nations team would play right now), and the finalists will have played 13 games.
Promotion/Relegation - At the end of the season, the last placing team in each tier 1 division is swapped with the top placing team in their corresponding geographical tier 2 division. E.g. Last place in North Division 1 is relegated to North Division 2 and first place in North Division 2 is promoted to North Division 1, and so on.
The end. Discuss. Oh, one final point. No playoffs in a World Cup Year ______________ I actually put quite a bit of time into thinking about this and organising and I genuinely feel its a great solution, though I realise this will never happen for geography/financial/political reasons. Nonetheless I'm keen to hear people's views on the format I have suggested. My thoughts for discussion: - Would it reduce the impact of the world cup? Not sure, possibly, consider again no playoffs in a World Cup year
- 6 nations and Rugby Championship are defunct with this model but note that South Division 1 is actually the rugby championship, they just only play each other once a year instead of twice. Similarly, North Division 1 is a stripped down 6 nations and arguably Scotland and Italy are consistently lower quality. But every year they get the chance to be promoted. If they're get promoted they simply have to be good enough to stay up! And that's by no means impossible, last year England were 5th in the 6 nations after all and Scotland were 3rd. Jarring at first I admit for the Scots and the Italians, but ultimately fair I think.
- It would certainly mean much more annual variety in match-ups across the tiers, giving teams like Japan much more opportunity to play top teams with regularity. In fact, even with weak West and East Division 1's (by todays' standards), Japan would get to play 4x bona fide top teams 2 years out of every three (by virtue of playing either North Division 1 or South Division 1). The same can be said of bona fide tier 2 teams like Namibia and so on who would have the same level of exposure to top teams year in year out.
- Is it unfair on say Georgia who by virtue of geography are probably limited to remaining a tier 2 team while USA who are currently ranked several places below would be a top ranked tier 1 team? Perhaps. I don't have a solution for that except to say at least the opportunity is there for everyone, and, they all still to play 4 tier 1 nations every year, which means the stunning opportunity to play NZ every 4 years which is unthinkable for Georgia right now (unless they are lucky enough to draw them in the World Cup pools.
- Should last placed teams in tier 2 at the end of the season be pushed out in favour of the next 4 highest ranked teams (i.e. ranks 33 to 36)? Probably.
- I'm not into 3rd place playoffs but you could throw that in if there's good reason, e.g. fan interest, revenue.
- No idea what sort of schedule we'd be looking at given respective nations current schedules and the hemispheric seasonal conflict but I imagine it should be spread across the whole year to minimise impact on club rugby, and mitigate player burnout/injury.
- Geographical allocation enables travel costs and jet lag to keep to a minimum (admittedly not perfect, look at West Division 2!).
|
Wild Card Round - Panthers at Saints - Pregame Report
GAME INFORMATION
| TEAM | Record |
| CAROLINA PANTHERS | 11-5, 9-7-0 ATS |
| NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | 11-5, 9-7-0 ATS |
INJURY REPORT
Panthers Injuries
| Player | Position | Injury | Wed | Thurs | Fri | Gameday Status |
| Mike Adams | S | Rest | DNP | FP | FP | - |
| Mario Addison | DE | Hip | DNP | FP | FP | - |
| Vernon Butler | DT | Shoulder | LP | FP | FP | - |
| Kurt Coleman | S | Ankle | FP | FP | FP | - |
| Devin Funchess | WR | Shoulder | DNP | DNP | FP | Questionable |
| Wes Horton | DE | Rib | DNP | FP | FP | - |
| Matt Kalil | T | Illness | LP | DNP | LP | Questionable |
| Ryan Kalil | C | Shoulder | LP | FP | FP | - |
| Cam Newton | QB | Shoulder | LP | LP | FP | - |
| Greg Olsen | TE | Foot | FP | FP | FP | - |
| Julius Peppers | DE | Rest | DNP | DNP | FP | - |
| Jonathan Stewart | RB | Back | LP | FP | FP | - |
| Shaq Thompson | LB | Foot | LP | FP | FP | - |
| Trai Turner | G | Concussion | FP | FP | FP | Questionable |
Saints Injuries
| Player | Position | Injury | Wed | Thurs | Fri | Gameday Status |
| Trey Hendrickson | DE | Ankle | - | LP | - | Questionable |
| Terron Armstead | T | Thigh | - | LP | - | Questionable |
| Michael Thomas | WR | Hamstring | - | FP | - | - |
| Josh Hill | TE | Shoulder | - | FP | - | - |
| Justin Hardee | CB | Foot | - | FP | - | - |
| Michael Hoomanawanui | TE | Concussion | - | FP | - | - |
PICKS
All 2017 expert NFL Picks compared for accuracy. A free, advert-click funded service tracking every analyst at ESPN, Bleacher Report, CBS, FOX, Yahoo!, ProFootballFocus, USA Today, Accuscore, NFL Network, NFL.com, SI.com and more – sorted by season win percentage.
Click HERE for breakdown of all expert picks
| CAROLINA PANTHERS | 4% |
| NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | 96% |
TOP TEN EXPERT PICKS
| Rank | Expert | Network | Season Record | % | Pick |
| 1 | Jeff Ratcliffe | | 180-76 | 70% | ? |
| 2 | Jamey Eisenberg | | 178-77 | 69% | |
| 3 | KC Joyner | | 178-78 | 69% | ? |
| 4 | Kevin Sherrington | | 177-79 | 69% | |
| 5 | PFF Analytics | | 176-80 | 68% | |
| 6 | Mike Clay | | 174-82 | 67% | |
| 7 | Patrick Schmidt | | 174-82 | 67% | ? |
| 8 | Sam Farmer | | 173-81 | 68% | ? |
| 9 | Chris Burke | | 173-83 | 67% | ? |
| 10 | Nate Davis | | 173-83 | 67% | |
PROJECT FIVETHIRTYEIGHT - 2017 TEAM PREDICTIONS
| CAROLINA PANTHERS | 35% |
| NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | 65% |
Click HERE for complete breakdown of Project FiveThirtyEight predictions for the 2017 season)
Season Prediction
| ELO Rating | One Week Change | Make Divisional Round | Make Conf Championship | Make Super Bowl | Win Super Bowl |
| 1585 | - 19 | 35% | 12% | 5% | 2% |
| 1625 | - 33 | 65% | 25% | 11% | 5% |
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
Trai Turner
Turner practiced in full after being in the concussion protocol following the Week 14 game against the Vikings. While backup Silatolu performed decently in run blocking, his pass protection was downright terrible, especially during Newton's career worst outing against the Falcons in Week 17. Turner will need to bring back some stability to an O Line that visibly missed him in his absence.
Cam Newton
All eyes are on the 2015 NFL MVP to see just how well he can bounce back from his career worst performance in the NFL. Newton finished Week 17 with an atrocious 31.5 passer rating. If fans have any glimmer of hope to look forward to its that Newton has bounced back this season after bad performances. His passer rating in the 7 weeks leading up to the Falcons game see-sawed up and down with 71.0 / 120.4 / 59.8 / 107.5 / 64.9 / 128.0 / 65.4 respectively. The stats would indicate Newton is due for a big game, on the road, against the Saints, who have already beaten him twice.
Run Defense
The second level tacklers have to continue to improve against Kamara and Ingram. Luke, TD and Shaq are all great at reading plays and flying to the ball but the must maintain their lanes to negate cutbacks and as Shaq showed last time these two teams played, they must wrap up to bring down Kamara. If the linebackers do their job it will take some pressure off the youngeolder secondary to hold the back line against explosive chunk plays. Outside of run plays, Luke and Co. must also maintain their discipline against quick screens. This will be Brees’ best weapon against the Carolina pass rush.
Pass Defense
If Carolina can manage to stop the run and Brees is forced to work his magic through the air, a defense that has surrendered nearly 700 yards through the air is going to need to find their magic quickly. While Carolina's secondary has been less than stellar, the return of a struggling Kurt Coleman who still remains the heart and soul of the defensive backfield immediately improves the Panthers ability to stop Brees and company through the air.If you give Brees time he will shred you. In the past two games Brees has used screen plays to avoid our pass rush so they need to do something different to disrupt him. One of Drew’s main faults is his height. If the D line can get a push then get their hands up they have a good chance of batting some quick throws down at the line. Anything they can do to cause Brees to hesitate or mess with his confidence and rhythm will help.
Swagger
Last but not least we need to see the fun team we’ve seen flashes of this year. We all know by now our team plays much better when they’re free and loose. The Saints cracked down on fun this week taking away the N64 and ping pong tables in the locker room. I don’t know why you’d mess with a formula that got you to 11-6 and a division title but Sean Peyton did. Let’s come out and be the relaxed fun team and let the Saints heavy emphasis on focus be the death of their playoff dreams.
MATCHUP HISTORY
All Time Record: 24-22 (Panthers lead)
Largest Victory: 45-13 (01/02/2000)
Current Streak: 2L
- Since Cam came to Carolina, the Panthers are 7-7 against the Saints
- This will be the first time (since the 2002 realignment) that two NFC South teams face each other in the playoffs. Only the AFC East has not had this happen.
- Despite the series equally split between home and away (12-11 Panthers lead each), both teams tend to score more points in the Saints home.
*Unfortunately, some dire news, when headed in to the postseason to face the team that swept them in the regular season, the swept teams are 2-4 historically.
HEAD TO HEAD
| CAROLINA | OFFENSE | VS. | NEW ORLEANS | DEFENSE |
| Points/Game | 22.7 (#12) | ➡ | 20.4 (#10) | Opp Points/Game |
| Yards/Game | 323.7 (#19) | ➡ | 336.5 (#17) | Opp Yards/Game |
| Points/Play | 0.354 (#13) | = | 0.325 (#13) | Opp Points/Play |
| Yards/Play | 5.0 (#19) | ⬅ | 5.4 (#22) | Opp Yards/Play |
| 3D Conversion % | 41.89% (#7) | ⬅ | 41.04% (#27) | Opp 3D Conv % |
| 4D Conversion % | 45.45% (#16) | ➡ | 33.33% (#8) | Opp 4D Conv % |
| RZ Scoring % (TD) | 53.85% (#17) | ➡ | 52.08% (#14) | Opp RZ Scoring % (TD) |
| TDs/Game | 2.5 (#14) | ➡ | 2.2 (#12) | Opp TDs/Game |
| NEW ORLEANS | OFFENSE | VS. | CAROLINA | DEFENSE |
| Points/Game | 28.0 (#4) | ⬅ | 20.4 (#11) | Opp Points/Game |
| Yards/Game | 391.2 (#2) | ⬅ | 317.1 (#7) | Opp Yards/Game |
| Points/Play | 0.448 (#2) | ⬅ | 0.343 (#18) | Opp Points/Play |
| Yards/Play | 6.3 (#1) | ⬅ | 5.3 (#17) | Opp Yards/Play |
| 3D Conversion % | 37.63% (#19) | ➡ | 37.86% (#13) | Opp 3D Conv % |
| 4D Conversion % | 80.00% (#1) | ⬅ | 35.00% (#10) | Opp 4D Conv % |
| RZ Scoring % (TD) | 58.18% (#8) | = | 47.73% (#8) | Opp RZ Scoring % (TD) |
| TDs/Game | 3.2 (#2) | ⬅ | 2.1 (#8) | Opp TDs/Game |
BY THE NUMBERS
13-7
The Panthers and Saints are meeting for round three, and neither of the first two rounds went well for the Panthers. This statistic doesn't bode well, either: divisional rivals that sweep a season series against their opponent are 13-7 all-time against that same opponent in the playoffs. So no, it's not necessarily harder to beat a team three times in one season. But it's not impossible for the other team to get the upper hand. The most recent time this happened was when the Giants avenged two earlier losses to the Cowboys on their way to the Super Bowl in 2007.
7-13
Fittingly, if you flip that record around, it becomes another statistic. Since divisional realignment in 2002, teams from a division that sends three teams to the playoffs are 7-13 in the playoffs, once you throw out games they play against each other. The AFC North sent three reps in 2014 and 2011, the AFC West sent three reps in 2013, the AFC South did it in 2007, and the NFC East did it back to back years in 2007 and 2006. The '07 Giants show up yet again as the only one of these teams to have won the Super Bowl.
3-0
A 27-16 win against the Arizona Cardinals in January of 2015. A 23-0 shutout of the New York Giants in January of 2006. And a 29-10 dismantling of the Dallas Cowboys in January of 2004. Yes, it's true. The Panthers are undefeated in the Wild Card Round. The Panthers are the only NFL team to have played at least one game in the Wild Card round and never lost. So, statistically speaking, they will never lose in the Wild Card round. Simple math.
53.7
The X-Factor for the Panthers against the Saints will be tight end Greg Olsen. Olsen missed both of the previous games in this series this year and has been healthy for some time now. In 12 career games against the Saints, Olsen averages 53.7 receiving yards per game. He also has 4 touchdowns. Since joining the Panthers, he's second only to Julio Jones in receiving yards against the Saints with 644, and is tied for second with Steve Smith and Terrance Williams in touchdowns. Does he own the Saints? Not really. But he makes a tangible difference when he's on the field.
451
The Saints will also be fielding a key player for the first time in this season series. Rookie cornerback Marson Lattimore will play the Panthers for the first time, as if our receivers' job wasn't already difficult enough. Lattimore has played 451 snaps in coverage this season and has yet to allow a touchdown. That's right: he has yet to be scored on in his NFL career. He's a candidate for Defensive Rookie of the Year. Devin Funchess is going to have his hands full..well, hopefully he has his hands full with some touchdown catches.
PANTHERS POWER RANKINGS
| Outlet | Rank | Last Week | Weekly Change | Notes |
| 7 | 7 | - | It’s not the worst thing to lose on the road to a Falcons team fighting for its playoff life. But it was a lost opportunity, considering the Saints lost. The Panthers would have been NFC South champs with a Week 17 win. It’ll be tough to win this week at the Superdome, a place the Panthers lost 31-21 a month ago. |
| 7 | 7 | - | Opponent winning percentage: .539; tied for the fifth-hardest. The 2017 Panthers proved that you don't need to be pass heavy to win. They went 11-5 while averaging 192 passing yards per game. That's the fewest passing yards by an 11-win team since the 2015 Vikings. |
| 7 | 7 | - | Recap: The Panthers actually entered Sunday with a chance to capture the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs. But that opportunity disappeared when the Vikings won earlier on Sunday. No matter, because Cam Newton and the Carolina offense stalled at Atlanta. The seven-year pro completed less than half of his throws (14-of-34) for only 180 yards. He found wide receiver Devin Funchess for one touchdown but also served up three interception. Carolina’s defensive unit only surrendered one touchdown in the game but the Falcons did roll up 371 total yards against the league’s seventh-ranked defensive unit. Postseason Preview: The Panthers are in the playoffs for the fourth time in five years. But for the first time, they will begin their playoff run on the road. On Sunday at 4:40 pm ET, Rivera’s club returns to the Superdome for the second time in six weeks looking to avenge a pair of losses to the Saints this season. Offseason Priorities: Ageless defensive end Julius Peppers signed a one-year contract to rejoin the team this offseason. Could he return for a 17th NFL campaign? The bigger priority is defensive tackles Star Lotulelei, who could be a candidate for the franchise tag. |
| 9 | 3 | ↓ 6 | The offense was unproductive Sunday in Atlanta, as QB Cam Newton was off target in a 14-for-34, three-interception performance. That won’t be nearly good enough against the Saints, who will demand the Panthers put forth a decent scoring performance to keep pace. TE Greg Olsen and RB Christian McCaffrey must be major factors. The defense is good enough. It’s all about whether Newton and the offense will come around. |
| 7 | 6 | ↓ 1 | They've only managed as many as 200 passing yards twice in the past 10 games. Might not be explosive enough to make a deep playoff run. |
| 6 | 6 | - | The Carolina Panthers are big, they're physical and their defense is going to be a handful for anyone it comes across in the postseason. The problem is there isn't anyone on offense to be scared of other than Cam Newton. Having to go to New Orleans is a postseason problem because the Saints handled the Panthers both times they've faced them this season. Can Carolina find ways to consistently move the ball and make explosive plays against the Saints defense? If not, the Panthers better dial up some creative runs for Newton, because their fate will rest on him. |
| 8 | 7 | ↓ 1 | This team is almost as inconsistent as the team below it. Cam Newton's play is confounding. Every time the media says, Look out, the Panthers are letting Cam be Cam and they're going to make a run! ... Carolina lays an egg. Newton was erratic on Sunday, continuing a chain of on-again, off-again performances. Look no further than his in-game passer ratings over the seven games prior to the matchup with the Falcons: 71.0, 120.4, 59.8, 107.5, 64.9, 128.0 and 65.4. I mean, if you're in Charlotte, his play is like Fury 325 at Carowinds. So I guess that means Newton dominates this week, right? |
| 7 | 5 | ↓ 2 | They didn't play well on defense the past two weeks -- giving up nearly 700 yards passing -- and that has to be concerning heading to New Orleans. |
NFL STANDINGS
| Team | Overall Record | Division | Division Record | Conf Record | PF | PA | Streak |
| (wxyz) | Patriots | 13-3 | AFC East | 5-1 | 10-2 | 458 | 296 | W3 |
| (wxyz) | Eagles | 13-3 | NFC East | 5-1 | 10-2 | 457 | 295 | L1 |
| (xyz) | Steelers | 13-3 | AFC North | 6-0 | 10-2 | 406 | 308 | W2 |
| (xyz) | Vikings | 13-3 | NFC North | 5-1 | 10-2 | 382 | 252 | W3 |
| (xy) | Rams | 11-5 | NFC West | 4-2 | 7-5 | 478 | 329 | L1 |
| (xy) | Saints | 11-5 | NFC South | 4-2 | 8-4 | 448 | 326 | L1 |
| (y) | Panthers | 11-5 | NFC South | 3-3 | 7-5 | 363 | 327 | L1 |
| (xy) | Jaguars | 10-6 | AFC South | 4-2 | 9-3 | 417 | 268 | L2 |
| (xy) | Chiefs | 10-6 | AFC North | 5-1 | 8-4 | 415 | 339 | W4 |
| (y) | Falcons | 10-6 | NFC South | 4-2 | 9-3 | 353 | 315 | W1 |
| (y) | Titans | 9-7 | AFC South | 5-1 | 8-4 | 334 | 356 | W1 |
| (y) | Bills | 9-7 | AFC East | 3-3 | 7-5 | 302 | 359 | W1 |
| Lions | 9-7 | NFC North | 5-1 | 8-4 | 410 | 376 | W1 |
| Ravens | 9-7 | NFC East | 3-3 | 7-5 | 395 | 303 | L1 |
| Chargers | 9-7 | AFC West | 3-3 | 6-6 | 355 | 272 | W2 |
| Seahawks | 9-7 | NFC West | 4-2 | 7-5 | 366 | 332 | L1 |
| Cowboys | 9-7 | NFC East | 5-1 | 7-5 | 354 | 332 | W1 |
| Cardinals | 8-8 | NFC West | 3-3 | 5-7 | 295 | 361 | W2 |
| Bengals | 7-9 | AFC North | 3-3 | 6-6 | 290 | 349 | W2 |
| Packers | 7-9 | NFC North | 2-4 | 5-7 | 320 | 384 | L3 |
| Redskins | 7-9 | NFC East | 1-5 | 5-7 | 342 | 388 | L1 |
| Raiders | 6-10 | AFC West | 2-4 | 5-7 | 301 | 373 | L4 |
| Dolphins | 6-10 | AFC East | 2-4 | 5-7 | 281 | 393 | L3 |
| 49ers | 6-10 | NFC West | 1-5 | 3-9 | 331 | 383 | W5 |
| Broncos | 5-11 | AFC West | 2-4 | 4-8 | 289 | 382 | L2 |
| Jets | 5-11 | AFC East | 2-4 | 5-7 | 298 | 382 | L4 |
| Buccs | 5-11 | NFC South | 1-5 | 3-9 | 335 | 382 | W1 |
| Bears | 5-11 | NFC North | 0-6 | 1-11 | 264 | 320 | L1 |
| Colts | 4-12 | AFC South | 2-4 | 3-9 | 263 | 404 | W1 |
| Texans | 4-12 | AFC South | 1-5 | 3-9 | 338 | 436 | L6 |
| Giants | 3-13 | NFC East | 1-5 | 1-11 | 246 | 388 | W1 |
| Browns | 0-16 | AFC North | 0-6 | 0-12 | 234 | 410 | L16 |
- (w) Clinched Homefield
- (x) Clinched Division
- (y) Clinched Playoffs
- (z) Clinched Bye
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Andrew Norwell is the only offensive lineman in the NFL who did not let his quarterback get touched all year. Zero sacks allowed. Zero hits allowed.
Ron Rivera deserves credit for coaching the least penalized team in the league
Norwell and Kuechly selected for 1st team AP All-Pro team
Our mantra for the playoffs. SEEK. STRIKE. DESTROY.
Cam T-shirt Design from Runaway (Durham Clothing Brand)
No one is giving us a chance. The way I like it.
Cam Newton: No need to panic
submitted by JCoxRocks to panthers [link] [comments]
Week 6 - Panthers vs Eagles Pregame Report
GAME INFORMATION
| TEAM | Record Against the Spread |
| PHILADELPHIA EAGLES | (4-1) 3-2 |
| CAROLINA PANTHERS | (4-1) 3-2 |
INJURY REPORT
Panthers Injuries
| Player | Position | Injury | Mon | Tue | Wed | Gameday Status |
| Mario Addison | DE | Knee | DNP | DNP | FP | - |
| Kurt Coleman | S | Knee | DNP | DNP | DNP | Out |
| Demetrious Cox | S | Ankle | DNP | DNP | DNP | Out |
| Devin Funchess | WR | Knee | DNP | DNP | FP | - |
| Matt Kalil | LT | Groin | DNP | LP | FP | - |
| Ryan Kalil | C | Neck | DNP | DNP | DNP | Out |
| Tyler Larsen | C | Shoulder | DNP | DNP | FP | - |
| Cam Newton | QB | Mouth/Shoulder | LP | LP | LP | - |
| Julius Peppers | DE | Shoulder | DNP | LP | FP | - |
| Jontathan Stewart | RB | Ankle | DNP | LP | FP | - |
| Daryl Worley | CB | Ankle | DNP | DNP | FP | - |
Eagles Injuries
| Player | Position | Injury | Mon | Tue | Wed | Gameday Status |
| Beau Allen | DT | Foot | LP | LP | LP | Questionable |
| Fletcher Cox | DT | Calf | LP | FP | FP | Questionable |
| Ronald Darby | CB | Ankle | DNP | DNP | DNP | Out |
| Corey Graham | S | Hamstring | FP | FP | FP | - |
| Jordan Hicks | LB | Ankle | FP | FP | FP | - |
| Lane Johnson | T | Concussion | DNP | DNP | DNP | Out |
| Chris Long | DE | Foot | LP | LP | LP | Questionable |
| Rodney McLeod | S | Hamstring | FP | FP | FP | - |
| Wendell Smallwood | RB | Knee | DNP | DNP | DNP | Questionable |
| Destiny Vaeao | DT | Wrist | LP | LP | LP | Questionable |
| Haylen Watkins | S | Hamstring | FP | FP | FP | Questionable |
PICKS
All 2017 expert NFL Picks compared for accuracy. A free, advert-click funded service tracking every analyst at ESPN, Bleacher Report, CBS, FOX, Yahoo!, ProFootballFocus, USA Today, Accuscore, NFL Network, NFL.com, SI.com and more – sorted by season win percentage.
Click HERE for breakdown of all expert picks
| CAROLINA PANTHERS | 79% |
| PHILADELPHIA EAGLES | 21% |
TOP TEN EXPERT PICKS
| Rank | Expert | Network | Season Record | % | Pick |
| 1 | Patrick Scmidt | | 52-25 | 67% | |
| 5 | Accuscore | | 50-26 | 65% | |
| 2 | Brandon George | | 50-27 | 64% | |
| 3 | Harry Lyles Jr | | 50-27 | 64% | |
| 4 | Jeff Ratcliffe | | 50-27 | 64% | |
| 6 | FiveThirtyEight | | 49-28 | 63% | |
| 7 | Jamey Eisenberg | | 49-28 | 63% | |
| 8 | Kayla Knierim | | 49-28 | 63% | |
| 9 | PFF Analytics | | 49-28 | 63% | |
| 10 | Michael Irvin | | 47-27 | 63% | ? |
PROJECT FIVETHIRTYEIGHT - 2017 TEAM PREDICTIONS
| CAROLINA PANTHERS | 57% |
| PHILADELPHIA EAGLES | 43% |
Click HERE for complete breakdown of Project FiveThirtyEight predictions for the 2017 season)
Season Prediction
| ELO Rating | One Week Change | Pred Wins | Pred Losses | Playoffs? | Win Division | Win Super Bowl |
| 1554 | + 18 | 10 | 6 | 60% | 31% | 4% |
| 1572 | + 22 | 10.8 | 5.2 | 78% | 67% | 6% |
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
OFFENSE
Curtis Samuel
Now that CMC has opened his scoring account in the NFL, will his fellow rookie follow suit? Samuel missed a lot of training camp and the preseason and he's been playing catch-up ever since. Even when you count his touches on kick returns, the Panthers have only been able to get the ball in Samuel's hands nine times this season. He's shown flashes of brilliance, but he has yet to get a clearly defined role in the offense.
Jonathan Stewart
Philly has allowed the second-fewest rushing yards in the league, but that's largely because most of their opponents have been playing from behind all season. If you look at it by rushing yards per attempt, Philly becomes a middle-of-the-pack team, and that means J-Stew has a favorable matchup. Stewart has not shown his age at all this season with punishing run after punishing run, and if he can set a strong tone for the Panthers run game on Thursday, look out.
Ed Dickson
Will lightning strike twice? Dickson had the game of his life against the Lions and with Olsen still several weeks away from returning to the field, Dickson has the TE1 spot on lock. How does he match up against Philly? In their five games thus far, Philly has allowed 25 receptions for 234 yards and 2 TDs to tight ends. It's not their glaring weakness, but it's not their greatest strength, either.
DEFENSE
James Bradberry
The Eagles rank in the top ten in most passing categories, including fifth in total yards and ninth in yards per game. Carson Wentz is coming off of a career day against the Cardinals, and Bradberry will likely match up against Alshon Jeffrey, who leads Eagles WRs in targets and receptions, although Nelson Agholor has more touchdowns and receiving yards. But neither of those players are the most dangerous pass-catchers on the Eagles roster...
Luke Kuechly
That honor belongs to Eagles tight end Zach Ertz, and Luke will likely be responsible for his coverage. Ertz has 48 targets, 32 receptions, and 387 yards, all of which lead all Eagles players. He also has two touchdowns to his credit, and if the Panthers wish to truly shut down the Eagles' passing attack, they will have to start by shutting down the connection between Wentz and Ertz.
Kawann Short
The other means of shutting down that connection is attacking Wentz himself, something KK Short probably can't wait to do. As discussed in the below By The Numbers section, Short leads all interior linemen with five sacks (tied with Michael Bennett) and will hope to add to that number against an Eagles offensive line that has already given up 13 sacks on the season.
MATCHUPS TO WATCH
Panthers O Line vs Eagles D Line
The Panthers run blocking has been pretty weak this season. Last week in Detroit was a low mark for the season with the Panthers only gaining 28 rushing yards and 1.5ypc. If it weren't for JStew's amazing yards after contact stats it would be worse. According to NextGenStats, the Lions averaged having a defender within a yard of our backs 2 yards into the backfield. Philadelphia has the 2nd best rush defense in the league; giving up just 62yd/gm. Ryan Kalil won't be back by Thursday so it'll be interesting to see if the coaching staff can find ways to get the offensive line back into the running game.
Panthers Secondary vs Wentz
The secondary has been full of new faces this season, but despite that Carolina ranks 5th in passing defense at less than 200yd/gm. Meanwhile Carson Wentz and the Eagles come in 8th in passing offense with 259yd/gm. Something has to give. Wentz has looked really good so far this season- 1,362, 10TD, 3INT, 69.6QBR- but he also looked fantastic through week 5 last season before falling off into mediocrity. Colin Jones and Jairus Byrd played well in Coleman's absence last week and aside from a pair of costly penalties Worley did too. With Worley and Bradberry on the Injury Report there's a lot of questions going into this matchup.
Panthers Kick Return vs Jake Elliott
Carolina hasn't done great on kick returns this year averaging just 18.9 between Curtis Samuel and Christian McCaffery. Add to that a successfully executed strategy by the Eagles last week of kicking the ball just shy of a touchback and you have the potential for tough starts for the offense. Elliott pinned the Cardinals deep on 3 straight kickoffs Sunday and based on the successful results you can count on him doing it against Carolina. The KR team needs to really work on setting some seams Thursday and Samuel will need avoid any more early kneeling. Otherwise the offense could find itself in some deep starts.
MATCHUP HISTORY
All Time Record: 6-4 (Eagles lead)
Largest Victory: 33-7 (11/07/1999)
Current Streak: 1W
- Since Cam came to Carolina, the Panthers are 2-1 against the Eagles.
- The one loss we had was a primetime game in 2014, which has since become known as the "Smoothie Game". For those who don't know about this, before the first half had ended, the Eagles had pretty much taken a commanding lead, 31-7, over the Panthers. The game had become so noncompetitive in favor of the Eagles, that the commentators actually took the time to stop talking about the game and "literally start making smoothies". By this point in the season, Carolina had lost in several blowouts as well, so this was a dark spot in Panthers history that may conjure up PTSD among fans.
- Luckily, we don't have to end this on a down note. The Panthers have faced the Eagles in the the 2003 NFC champioship game. Most notably, this took place a week after the famous "X-Clown" OT win over the
St. Louis Los Angeles Rams. After a low scoring game in which Carolina demolished the Eagles' QBs, to the tune of 4 interceptions, and also a punt return fumble recovery, the Panthers would come out with the win that would send them to Houston to face the Patriots in Super Bowl 38.
HEAD TO HEAD
| CAROLINA | OFFENSE | VS. | PHILLY | DEFENSE |
| Points/Game | 21.0 (#18) | ➡ | 19.8 (#13) | Opp Points/Game |
| Yards/Game | 327.2 (#18) | ⬅ | 346.0 (#22) | Opp Yards/Game |
| Points/Play | 0.337 (#17) | ➡ | 0.343 (#16) | Opp Points/Play |
| Yards/Play | 5.2 (#14) | ⬅ | 6.0 (#29) | Opp Yards/Play |
| 3D Conversion % | 50.00% (#2) | ⬅ | 35.09% (#5) | Opp 3D Conv % |
| 4D Conversion % | 0.0%(#) | ➡ | 33.33% (#9) | Opp 4D Conv % |
| RZ Scoring % (TD) | 43.75% (#26) | ➡ | 46.15% (#10) | Opp RZ Scoring % (TD) |
| TDs/Game | 2.0 (#20) | ➡ | 2.4 (#18) | Opp TDs/Game |
| PHILLY | OFFENSE | VS. | CAROLINA | DEFENSE |
| Points/Game | 27.4 (#6) | ⬅ | 18.8 (#8) | Opp Points/Game |
| Yards/Game | 397.8 (#3) | = | 274.0 (#3) | Opp Yards/Game |
| Points/Play | 0.397 (#8) | ⬅ | 0.330 (#14) | Opp Points/Play |
| Yards/Play | 5.8 (#9) | ➡ | 4.8 (#4) | Opp Yards/Play |
| 3D Conversion % | 53.42% (#1) | ⬅ | 38.10% (#10) | Opp 3D Conv % |
| 4D Conversion % | 75.00% (#4) | ⬅ | 33.33% (#9) | Opp 4D Conv % |
| RZ Scoring % (TD) | 58.82% (#9) | ⬅ | 63.64% (#28) | Opp RZ Scoring % (TD) |
| TDs/Game | 2.8 (#8) | ➡ | 2.0 (#7) | Opp TDs/Game |
BY THE NUMBERS
35
Five receptions. One hundred and seventy-five yards. And 35 sets a new NFL record for average yards per catch by a tight end (with a minimum of five receptions). It's safe to say that no one could have predicted Ed Dickson's offensive explosion, where he also became the only player in Panthers history with two catches of 50+ yards in the same game. Ed Dickson may not have a third leg, but he could have fooled me.
3-5
That's the Panthers' all-time record on Thursdays: 3 wins, 5 losses. All of those games have come since 2009, and all of them were on Thursday Night Football save for the Panthers' win over the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving 2015. The average score of those games is 23-18, and the Panthers' all-time point differential in those games is -39. For the record, the Eagles are 8-5 on Thursdays since the merger, and their win percentage of .615 ranks 3rd overall. The team with the best Thursday record is the Colts (13-2) and the worst is the Bucs (2-7). The Panthers rank 26th overall, and have actually played the least Thursday games of any team in the NFL.
12.5%
Kawann Short rushed the passer 30 times against the Lions, and on four of those instances he recorded a pressure on Matthew Stafford, good for 12.5%. Three of them were sacks! On the season, his percentage is 9.9% which is good for 9th in the league among interior defenders, and in fact his five sacks tie him for first at that position with Michael Bennett.
24
Devin Funchess has emerged as a bona fide WR2 this season. He's already surpassed his 23 receptions last season with 24 this season, and we're only five weeks into the season! Even better, he's recorded those 24 receptions without dropping the ball once. That ties him for fourth in the NFL with Minnesota's Adam Thielen, behind Doug Baldwin (27), Pierre Garcon (28), and Antonio Brown (40).
100%
For the first time in his career, Shaq Thompson played every single defensive snap in a game, including a couple of snaps at safety! In what may or may not be related, Thomas Davis played about half the snaps Shaq did. I don't think the changing of the guard is necessarily here quite yet, but it's clear that Shaq's role is increasing.
PANTHERS POWER RANKINGS
| Outlet | Rank | Last Week | Weekly Change | Notes |
| 5 | 8 | ↑ 3 | That’s two straight great games from Cam Newton. If that’s what we can expect from Newton going forward – and the last two weeks were reminiscent of his MVP season – then the Panthers can be Super Bowl contenders. |
| 6 | 13 | ↑ 7 | Cam Newton is completing 68 percent of his passes this season, and he has thrown for 300 yards and three touchdowns in consecutive games for the first time in his career. His performance has the Panthers with the fourth-best chances of making the playoffs in the NFC. |
| 6 | 8 | ↑ 2 | Recap: With free safety Kurt Coleman sidelined, the Panthers added three-time Pro Bowler Jairus Byrd to the defense this week. And he would seem some action in this contest. More importantly, the Detroit Lions got a heavy dose of Cam Newton. He would hit on 26 of his 33 passes for 355 yards and three touchdowns while the team played turnover-free football. Newton did overcome threw sacks and and a ground game that produced only 28 yards on as many attempts. Lions’ quarterback Matthew Stafford wasn’t as luck, dropped six times by Carolina’s aggressive pass rush.Next Week: It’s a short week for Rivera and company as well as their opposition. The 4-1 Philadelphia Eagles come to Charlotte on Thursday night riding a three-game winning streak. Second-year quarterback Carson Wentz and the Birds made quick work of the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday in Philadelphia. Sparks will be flying in prime time.Playoff Hopes: Due to the fact that the Atlanta Falcons were off this past week, the Panthers are now alone atop the NFC South with a 4-1 record. Of course, that one loss was a home setback to the New Orleans Saints. Rivera’s club has yet to face the other teams within the division. But you have to like the look of these Panthers. |
| 5 | 8 | ↑ 3 | QB Cam Newton has completed 48 of 62 passes for 671 yards with six TDs and one interception in his past two games. His return from shoulder surgery was gradual but now he has emerged as an accurate pocket passer who clearly has changed his game, with a relatively modest 90 rushing yards this season. Newton was criticized last week, and rightfully so, after his sexist remark for which he later apologized. But things are going extremely well on the field, and if this continues he will be an MVP candidate again and the Panthers will be Super Bowl contenders once more. |
| 2 | 11 | ↑ 9 | Cam Newton's mouth is still in preseason form, but his surgically repaired shoulder now appears to be back to his 2015 MVP form. |
| 4 | 11 | ↑ 7 | The Panthers are for real, and Cam Newton is officially back. He had an awesome game, and the Panthers needed it against the Lions. Running the ball against Detroit's massive front didn't go so well.If Newton can keep playing like he did Sunday, the Panthers are going to be a tough out come December. They've been finding different ways to win games. This is a team built to lean on the run, but it can win with the pass and with efficient defense.Is the defense perfect? No. There are still some questions in the secondary. However, it looks a lot more like the 2015 version than last year's. Everyone knows about Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis, but it's the front four who really make me say "wow" when I turn on the game film.Carolina is one of the best teams in the NFC. |
| 5 | 11 | ↑ 6 | After creating a ruckus with some crude social commentary off the field, Cam Newton delivered some inspired play on it. The QB simply overwhelmed the Lions in the Motor City, passing for 355 yads and three touchdowns in Carolina's 27-24 win. The key throw? Third-and-8 with the two-minute warning approaching and the Lions out of timeouts. Newton fired the ball into Kelvin Benjamin on a slant, in front of the corner and before the safety could close. Accurate, with zip and, most importantly, clutch. I thought his apology was on point, too. |
| 6 | 7 | ↑ 1 | Cam Newton is back playing like he did in 2015 when he was the MVP. He faces a good Eagles front this week. |
NFL STANDINGS
| Team | Overall Record | Division | Division Record | Conf Record | PF | PA | Streak |
| Chiefs | 5-0 | AFC North | 1-0 | 3-0 | 164 | 111 | W5 |
| Eagles | 4-1 | NFC East | 2-0 | 3-0 | 137 | 99 | W3 |
| Packers | 4-1 | NFC North | 1-0 | 3-1 | 137 | 112 | W3 |
| Panthers | 4-1 | NFC South | 0-1 | 2-1 | 105 | 94 | W2 |
| Broncos | 3-1 | AFC West | 2-0 | 2-1 | 98 | 74 | W1 |
| Falcons | 3-1 | NFC South | 0-0 | 3-0 | 104 | 89 | L1 |
| Bills | 3-2 | AFC East | 1-0 | 2-1 | 89 | 74 | L1 |
| Jaguars | 3-2 | AFC South | 1-1 | 3-2 | 139 | 83 | W1 |
| Steelers | 3-2 | AFC North | 2-0 | 2-1 | 99 | 89 | L1 |
| Seahawks | 3-2 | NFC West | 2-0 | 2-1 | 110 | 87 | W2 |
| Jets | 3-2 | AFC East | 1-1 | 3-2 | 92 | 106 | W3 |
| Lions | 3-2 | NFC North | 1-0 | 3-2 | 123 | 97 | L1 |
| Vikings | 3-2 | NFC North | 1-1 | 3-1 | 99 | 93 | W1 |
| Ravens | 3-2 | NFC East | 2-1 | 3-2 | 90 | 97 | W1 |
| Patriots | 3-2 | AFC East | 0-0 | 1-1 | 148 | 142 | W1 |
| Rams | 3-2 | NFC West | 1-1 | 2-2 | 152 | 121 | L1 |
| Dolphins | 2-2 | AFC East | 0-1 | 2-1 | 41 | 67 | L2 |
| Saints | 2-2 | NFC South | 1-0 | 1-1 | 93 | 78 | W2 |
| Bucs | 2-2 | NFC South | 0-0 | 2-1 | 85 | 83 | L1 |
| Redskins | 2-2 | NFC East | 0-1 | 1-1 | 91 | 89 | L1 |
| Raiders | 2-3 | AFC West | 0-1 | 2-2 | 108 | 109 | L3 |
| Texans | 2-3 | AFC South | 1-1 | 2-3 | 144 | 130 | L1 |
| Cowboys | 2-3 | NFC East | 1-0 | 2-2 | 125 | 132 | L2 |
| Bengals | 2-3 | AFC North | 1-1 | 2-2 | 84 | 83 | W2 |
| Titans | 2-3 | AFC South | 1-1 | 1-3 | 110 | 142 | L2 |
| Cardinals | 2-3 | NFC West | 1-0 | 1-3 | 81 | 125 | L1 |
| Colts | 2-3 | AFC South | 0-0 | 1-0 | 97 | 159 | W1 |
| Bears | 1-4 | NFC North | 0-2 | 0-4 | 78 | 124 | L2 |
| Chargers | 1-4 | AFC West | 0-2 | 0-3 | 99 | 115 | W1 |
| 49ers | 0-5 | NFC West | 0-3 | 0-4 | 89 | 120 | L5 |
| Browns | 0-5 | AFC North | 0-3 | 0-5 | 77 | 124 | L5 |
| Giants | 0-5 | NFC East | 0-2 | 0-4 | 82 | 122 | L5 |
- (x) Clinched Division
- (z) Clinched Bye
- (y) Clinched Playoff Berth
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
4th Grader Sends Letter to Devin Funchess
Panthers will Honor Sam Mills with #51 Patch On Helmets Thursday Night
Daryl Williams Graded #1 Tackle by PFF in Week 5
NFL.com: Top 5 Eagles-Panthers Games
Grill Bill: Prevent defenses, early timeouts and tacos
CBS Sports: How Cam Newton and the Panthers Offense Got their Groove Back
Thomas Davis: "Eagles Game is Fight for #1 Seed
Cam Newton Highest Graded QB for the week by PFF
Stitched Thomas Davis Jerseys now Available for Purchase
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Week 10 - Panthers vs Dolphins - Pregame Report
GAME INFORMATION
| TEAM | Record Against the Spread |
| MIAMI DOLPHINS | (4-4) 3-3-2 |
| CAROLINA PANTHERS | (6-3) 5-4 |
INJURY REPORT
Panthers Injuries
| Player | Position | Injury | Thu | Fri | Sat | Gameday Status |
| Mike Adams | S | Concussion | FP | FP | - | - |
| Kaelin Clay | WR | Ribs | - | FP | - | - |
| Mike Adams | S | Concussion | FP | FP | - | - |
| Graham Gano | K | Right Knee | FP | FP | - | - |
| Ryan Kalil | C | Neck | DNP | DNP | - | - |
| Chris Manhertz | TE | Concussion | LP | FP | - | - |
| Cam Newton | QB | Right Shoulder | LP | FP | - | - |
| Curtis Samuel | WR | Ankle | LP | FP | - | - |
| Graham Gano | K | Right Knee | FP | FP | - | - |
| Jonathan Stewart | RB | Toe | FP | FP | - | - |
| John Theus | T | Concussion | LP | FP | - | - |
| Trai Turner | G | Knee | FP | FP | - | - |
Dolphins Injuries
| Player | Position | Injury | Thu | Fri | Sat | Gameday Status |
| Ndamukong Suh | DT | - | DNP | LP | - | - |
| Mike Pouncey | C | Hip | LP | LP | - | - |
| Jakeem Grant | WR | Illness | DNP | LP | - | - |
| Bobby McCain | CB | Hamstring | LP | FP | - | |
| Mike Hull | LB | ShouldeAnkle | LP | FP | - | - |
| Ja’Wuan James | OT | Knee | DNP | DNP | - | - |
| Michael Thomas | S | Knee | DNP | DNP | - | - |
| Jay Cutler | QB | Ribs | FP | FP | - | - |
| William Hayes | DE | Hamstring | FP | FP | - | - |
| Ted Larsen | G | Biceps | FP | FP | - | - |
PICKS
All 2017 expert NFL Picks compared for accuracy. A free, advert-click funded service tracking every analyst at ESPN, Bleacher Report, CBS, FOX, Yahoo!, ProFootballFocus, USA Today, Accuscore, NFL Network, NFL.com, SI.com and more – sorted by season win percentage.
Click HERE for breakdown of all expert picks
| CAROLINA PANTHERS | 95% |
| MIAMI DOLPHINS | 5% |
TOP TEN EXPERT PICKS
| Rank | Expert | Network | Season Record | % | Pick |
| 1 | Jamey Eisenberg | | 89-44 | 66% | |
| 2 | Jeff Ratcliffe | | 89-44 | 66% | |
| 3 | Patrick Schmidt | | 89-44 | 66% | |
| 4 | Neil Greenberg | | 76-39 | 66% | |
| 5 | Jared Dubin | | 87-46 | 65% | |
| 6 | PFF Analytics | | 87-46 | 65% | |
| 7 | Pickwatch Fan Picks | | 87-46 | 65% | |
| 8 | Accuscore | | 86-46 | 65% | |
| 9 | Numberfire | | 85-46 | 64% | |
| 10 | Brandon George | | 86-47 | 64% | |
PROJECT FIVETHIRTYEIGHT - 2017 TEAM PREDICTIONS
| CAROLINA PANTHERS | 71% |
| MIAMI DOLPHINS | 29% |
Click HERE for complete breakdown of Project FiveThirtyEight predictions for the 2017 season)
Season Prediction
| ELO Rating | One Week Change | Pred Wins | Pred Losses | Playoffs? | Win Division | Win Super Bowl |
| 1544 | + 14 | 9.8 | 6.2 | 51% | 23% | 2% |
| 1457 | - 17 | 6.9 | 9.1 | 15% | 3% | <1% |
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
Christian McCaffery
CMC has been productive in the passing game all season long, but has struggled against stacked boxes in the run game. In the first game of the post KB era he faced much more favorable conditions against Atlanta, racking up 66yd and his first rushing TD. However he faces a tough team in Miami (7th in Rush Def) Sunday. If the passing game and read option can cause the defense to hesitate look to CMC to make some extra effort big plays.
Mike Palardy
Special teams players don't often get the credit they deserve, but this sub has done a good job showering M(v)P with the love. Solidly in the top 10 in net and gross punting yards in the league he's become a real weapon for the Panthers to flip the field. Jakeem Grant hasn't been as explosive in the return game this year, but still has the speed and shiftiness to break a big one. Look to Palardy to keep that from happening this week.
Captain Munnerlyn
Miami's most dangerous offensive weapon remaining is Jarvis Landry. The Phins love to throw to Landry- he just passed Anquan Boldin for the most receptions through the first four seasons of a career. For most of Sunday, a man equal in stature will be covering Landry. Captain will need to be on point to not let the shifty slot WR get away from him on short yardage plays.
MATCHUP HISTORY
All Time Record: 4-1 (Dolphins lead)
Largest Victory: 20-16 (11/24/2013)
Current Streak: 1W
- Since Cam came to Carolina, the Panthers are 1-0 against the Dolphins.
- The Panthers, up till 2013, had generally been put down by the Dolphins. Even with their one win, the Panthers have their 3rd worst head-to-head record against the Dolphins, only behind the Broncos and Steelers.
- Some interesting facts
- The Panthers never beat the Dolphins until John Kasay was replaced by former Dolphins kicker, Olindo Mare, then subsequently Graham Gano.
- In all 4 losses, neither team scored in the 3rd quarter. In the 1 win, only the Panthers scored in the 3rd quarter.
- Panthers had twice as many sacks in their 1 win than in their 4 losses.
- Ted Ginn Jr. has beat the Panthers as a Dolphin, and the Dolphins as a Panther.
- Funny enough, the Dolphin's QB that had their highest rated performance against the Panthers, Ryan Tannehill in their only loss.
HEAD TO HEAD
| CAROLINA | OFFENSE | VS. | MIAMI | DEFENSE |
| Points/Game | 18.7 (#24) | ➡ | 22.4 (#16) | Opp Points/Game |
| Yards/Game | 313.1 (#21) | ➡ | 315.4 (#10) | Opp Yards/Game |
| Points/Play | 0.287 (#24) | ⬅ | 0.382 (#25) | Opp Points/Play |
| Yards/Play | 4.8 (#26) | ➡ | 5.4 (#21) | Opp Yards/Play |
| 3D Conversion % | 43.41% (#5) | ⬅ | 36.08% (#11) | Opp 3D Conv % |
| 4D Conversion % | 33.33% (#21) | ➡ | 33.33% (#12) | Opp 4D Conv % |
| RZ Scoring % (TD) | 46.43% (#25) | ⬅ | 72.22% (#31) | Opp RZ Scoring % (TD) |
| TDs/Game | 1.8 (#28) | ➡ | 2.6 (#17) | Opp TDs/Game |
| MIAMI | OFFENSE | VS. | CAROLINA | DEFENSE |
| Points/Game | 14.5 (#32) | ➡ | 17.7 (#4) | Opp Points/Game |
| Yards/Game | 270.2 (#31) | ➡ | 274.1 (#1) | Opp Yards/Game |
| Points/Play | 0.235 (#31) | ➡ | 0.316 (#10) | Opp Points/Play |
| Yards/Play | 4.4 (#32) | ➡ | 4.9 (#7) | Opp Yards/Play |
| 3D Conversion % | 31.00% (#31) | ➡ | 33.04% (#5) | Opp 3D Conv % |
| 4D Conversion % | 18.18% (#26) | ➡ | 28.57% (#9) | Opp 4D Conv % |
| RZ Scoring % (TD) | 66.67% (#3) | ⬅ | 64.71% (#29) | Opp RZ Scoring % (TD) |
| TDs/Game | 1.6 (#31) | ➡ | 1.9 (#7) | Opp TDs/Game |
BY THE NUMBERS
5.2%
We'll be talking about Julio Jones's drop for years. But it was emblematic of Carolina's biggest defensive struggle this season. On what was probably the biggest defensive play of Carolina's season to that point, there wasn't a defender in sight. And it wasn't a fluke, it was a trend. Carolina has intercepted or defensed only 5.2 percent of passes thrown against them, which is the lowest mark in the NFL per Pro Football Focus. Thieves Ave. is full of potholes these days.
48%
That doesn't necessarily mean that the defense is incapable of making plays when it matters. On both 3rd & 1 and 4th & 1 plays this season, Carolina has only allowed 12 conversions out of 25 attempts. That's a 48% success rate for Carolina's opponents, which ranks 4th in the league. And that's a large part of why Carolina has already matched its wins total from last season.
46.9
I (dialaview) have to eat some crow here. I was way down on Michael Palardy during the offseason and training camp, and I was utterly, utterly convinced that MVLee would beat him at the punter position battle. I was dumbstruck when the Panthers cut Lee and went with Palardy. And he's been amazing all year. His 46.9 net punting average across the past three weeks ranks first in the league, as well as his number of punts downed inside the 20 (8). The field position game is important, and Palardy is helping us win it.
.600
The Panthers, as a relatively young franchise, have played a mere 15 games on Monday Night Football. Meanwhile, their opponents, the Dolphins, have played on Monday night a whopping 82 times, more than any other team. That said, the Panthers have done well in their limited MNF action, with 9 wins to 6 losses forming a record of .600 on Monday night, which is fourth in NFL history (Seattle is first with a 24-8 record for .750). The Dolphins are an even .500.
1.02
This number should excite everyone. Thanks to some next-gen stats, we know just how good of a game CMC had on Sunday. He averaged not just 1.02 yards before contact, but 1.02 yards before defenders were within a yard of him. That's oddly specific, sure, but when you consider that his average for the first eight weeks was negative, and that the NFL average is a fifth of a yard, you have to start getting excited for his no-doubt growing role in the offense.
PANTHERS POWER RANKINGS
| Outlet | Rank | Last Week | Weekly Change | Notes |
| 10 | 10 | - | It’s rare to see an NFL game anymore in which a team only has three players catch a pass. Yet, that’s what happened with the Panthers, as Devin Funchess, Christian McCaffrey and Curtis Samuel accounted for all 13 receptions from Cam Newton. The first game without Kelvin Benjamin produced only 137 passing yards and I’m still not entirely sure that trade made sense, but they got a big win over the Falcons without him. |
| 11 | 12 | ↑ 1 | It might not be the prettiest of climbs, but the Panthers have risen in the rankings despite the drama surrounding Cam Newton. His passing hasn't been on point, with 10 touchdowns to 11 interceptions so far this season, but he has picked up the running, accumulating 251 rush yards the past four games, 11th in the NFL in that span. |
| 8 | 8 | - | Recap: After looking pretty inept for the vast majority of the first two quarters against the visiting Atlanta Falcons (including 2 lost fumbles by running back Jonathan Stewart), there was a dramatic reversal of fortunes in regards to Ron Rivera’s club. Two touchdowns in the final 1:55 of the first half gave the Panthers a 14-10 advantage. Carolina would eventually stretch that to a 10-point lead and then had to hold off a late Atlanta rally. Cam Newton didn’t throw a touchdown pass or turn over the ball. But he had 86 of the team’s impressive 201 yards on the ground, including a sensational nine-yard TD leap. Next Week: The Panthers get an extra day to prepare for the inconsistent Miami Dolphins. Adam Gase’s team has managed to remain in the playoff race despite the fact that the team has been dreadful on offense and been shut out twice this season. The Dolphins’ revived defensive front could give Newton and company all they can handle. Playoff Hopes: Back-to-back divisional wins have the Panthers right in the thick of this NFC South race. The club has already equaled last season’s victory total and could be on the verge of getting on a roll. Carolina’s defense has begun to reassert itself and the team in general has remained within shouting distance of the first-place Saints. |
| 9 | 12 | ↑ 3 | Not much has come easily this season for the Panthers, and last week’s curious trade-deadline deal of WR Kelvin Benjamin was the latest issue to make things seem less than ideal. But the Panthers continue to play well through it all, and the win over the Falcons means that they are the primary challenger to the Saints in the NFC South. |
| 6 | 12 | ↑ 6 | If Carolina thought Cam Newton might spread ball more without WR Kelvin Benjamin, well, he completed passes to just three receivers Sunday. |
| 8 | 9 | ↑ 1 | The Carolina Panthers are figuring out who they are this season, and positive results are following. This is a team that can win with sound defense, power rushing and a few big plays from Cam Newton each game. Newton isn't going to slice up defenses with any kind of consistency, but he doesn't have to. As long as he takes care of the ball, keeps defenses off-balance with his running ability and hits a few deep shots each week, the Panthers are going to win more often than not. I'd still like to see Carolina get more from its running backs, but sticking with the run is what's important. It helps eliminate turnovers and allows the Panthers to play through their defense, which is special in the front seven. Unlike the Denver Broncos, the Panthers know how to get out of their own way. They're going to stay in the playoff race all season and are going to be dangerous if they get in. |
| 11 | 13 | ↑ 2 | Very quietly, Carolina has put together two straight wins on the strength of its defense and jussst enough offense to get by, with 20 points against the Falcons on Sunday, 17 the week before. Cam Newton reprised the role of his 2012 self (or resurrected Bobby Douglass from 1972), piling up 86 yards and a touchdown on nine carries. He threw for only 137 yards, which wasn't even good enough for 1972. That's OK, because the defense stone-walled the Falcons' run game -- and Matty looks like he's running on Ice when he takes off. Next up: Dolphins. |
| 9 | 13 | ↑ 4 | They are tied for the division lead after beating the Falcons with the re-emergence of Cam Newton as a playmaker. They next face Miami Monday at home. |
NFL STANDINGS
| Team | Overall Record | Division | Division Record | Conf Record | PF | PA | Streak |
| Eagles | 8-1 | NFC East | 3-0 | 6-0 | 283 | 179 | W7 |
| Steelers | 6-2 | AFC North | 3-0 | 4-1 | 167 | 131 | W3 |
| Patriots | 6-2 | AFC East | 1-0 | 3-1 | 216 | 179 | W4 |
| Saints | 6-2 | NFC South | 2-0 | 5-1 | 221 | 155 | W6 |
| Vikings | 6-2 | NFC North | 2-1 | 4-1 | 179 | 135 | W4 |
| Rams | 6-2 | NFC West | 2-1 | 4-2 | 263 | 155 | W3 |
| Chiefs | 6-3 | AFC North | 2-1 | 4-2 | 253 | 208 | L1 |
| Seahawks | 5-2 | NFC West | 3-0 | 4-2 | 211 | 165 | W1 |
| Panthers | 6-3 | NFC South | 2-1 | 4-3 | 168 | 159 | W2 |
| Titans | 5-3 | AFC South | 2-1 | 4-3 | 181 | 193 | W3 |
| Jaguars | 5-3 | AFC South | 2-1 | 5-2 | 206 | 117 | W2 |
| Bills | 5-3 | AFC East | 1-1 | 3-2 | 174 | 149 | L1 |
| Cowboys | 5-3 | NFC East | 2-0 | 4-2 | 226 | 178 | W3 |
| Dolphins | 4-4 | AFC East | 1-1 | 3-3 | 116 | 179 | L2 |
| Falcons | 4-4 | NFC South | 0-1 | 3-1 | 170 | 172 | L1 |
| Lions | 4-4 | NFC North | 2-0 | 4-3 | 206 | 186 | W1 |
| Redskins | 4-4 | NFC East | 0-3 | 3-3 | 177 | 194 | W1 |
| Packers | 4-4 | NFC North | 1-2 | 3-4 | 181 | 191 | L3 |
| Ravens | 4-5 | NFC East | 2-1 | 4-3 | 190 | 171 | L1 |
| Raiders | 4-5 | AFC West | 1-2 | 4-4 | 196 | 214 | W1 |
| Jets | 4-5 | AFC East | 2-3 | 4-4 | 191 | 207 | W1 |
| Cardinals | 4-5 | NFC West | 2-2 | 3-5 | 155 | 223 | L2 |
| Texans | 3-5 | AFC South | 1-2 | 3-4 | 229 | 208 | L2 |
| Bengals | 3-5 | AFC North | 1-2 | 3-4 | 129 | 158 | L1 |
| Bears | 3-5 | NFC North | 0-2 | 1-5 | 134 | 171 | L1 |
| Chargers | 3-5 | AFC West | 2-2 | 2-4 | 150 | 152 | L1 |
| Broncos | 3-5 | AFC West | 2-2 | 2-3 | 150 | 198 | L4 |
| Colts | 3-6 | AFC South | 1-2 | 2-3 | 162 | 260 | W1 |
| Bucs | 2-6 | NFC South | 0-2 | 2-4 | 158 | 198 | L5 |
| Giants | 1-7 | NFC East | 0-2 | 0-6 | 129 | 207 | L2 |
| Browns | 0-8 | AFC North | 0-3 | 0-7 | 119 | 202 | L8 |
| 49ers | 0-9 | NFC West | 0-4 | 0-8 | 143 | 239 | L9 |
- (x) Clinched Division
- (z) Clinched Bye
- (y) Clinched Playoff Berth
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Panthers Defense is #1
J-Stew, CMC, of Fozzy put on a special performance
Carolina rookies rank 2nd in all purpose yards
Olsen added to broadcast team for Rams V Vikings during Carolina bye week.
The Drop heard round the world
#FireShula Banner Update
Cam's newest controversial statement
Kawann Short 4th in Pressure Rate by interior DL
BannanaGooP Breaks down Monday's Game
submitted by PanthersExtraPoints to panthers [link] [comments]
Week 17 - Panthers @ Falcons - Pregame Report
GAME INFORMATION
| TEAM | Record |
| CAROLINA PANTHERS | 11-4, 9-6-0 ATS |
| ATLANTA FALCONS | 9-6, 6-9-0 ATS |
INJURY REPORT
Panthers Injuries
| Player | Position | Injury | Wed | Thurs | Fri | Gameday Status |
| Mike Adams | S | Rest | DNP | FP | FP | - |
| Mario Addison | DE | Hip | LP | FP | FP | - |
| Kurt Coleman | S | Ankle | DNP | LP | LP | Questionable |
| Devin Funchess | WR | Shoulder | LP | FP | - | - |
| LaDarius Gunter | CB | Illness | - | - | DNP | Questionable |
| Ryan Kalil | C | Shoulder | LP | FP | FP | - |
| Cam Newton | QB | Shoulder | LP | LP | FP | - |
| Greg Olsen | TE | Foot | FP | FP | FP | - |
| Spencer Paysinger | LB | Ankle | LP | FP | FP | - |
| Julius Peppers | DE | Rest | DNP | DNP | FP | - |
| Russell Shepard | WR | Shoulder | LP | FP | FP | - |
| Jonathan Stewart | RB | Rest | DNP | FP | FP | - |
| Shaq Thompson | LB | Foot | DNP | FP | FP | - |
| Trai Turner | G | Concussion | LP | LP | LP | OUT |
Falcons Injuries
| Player | Position | Injury | Wed | Thurs | Fri | Gameday Status |
| Julio Jones | WR | Ankle/Thumb | DNP | LP | LP | - |
| Andy Levitre | G | Triceps | LP | LP | LP | - |
| Alex Mack | C | Calf | LP | DNP | DNP | Questionable |
| Wes Schweitzer | G | Groin | LP | LP | LP | - |
| Levine Tollolo | TE | Knee | DNP | DNP | DNP | OUT |
PICKS
All 2017 expert NFL Picks compared for accuracy. A free, advert-click funded service tracking every analyst at ESPN, Bleacher Report, CBS, FOX, Yahoo!, ProFootballFocus, USA Today, Accuscore, NFL Network, NFL.com, SI.com and more – sorted by season win percentage.
Click HERE for breakdown of all expert picks
| CAROLINA PANTHERS | 37% |
| ATLANTA FALCONS | 63% |
TOP TEN EXPERT PICKS
| Rank | Expert | Network | Season Record | % | Pick |
| 1 | Jeff Ratcliffe | | 170-70 | 70% | |
| 2 | Jamey Eisenberg | | 169-70 | 70% | |
| 3 | KC Joyner | | 168-72 | 70% | ? |
| 4 | Neil Greenberg | | 155-67 | 69% | |
| 5 | Kevin Sherrington | | 167-73 | 69% | |
| 6 | Mike Clay | | 165-75 | 68% | |
| 7 | Patrick Schmidt | | 165-75 | 68% | |
| 8 | PFF Analytics | | 165-75 | 68% | |
| 9 | Chris Burke | | 164-76 | 68% | ? |
| 10 | Nate Davis | | 164-76 | 68% | |
PROJECT FIVETHIRTYEIGHT - 2017 TEAM PREDICTIONS
| CAROLINA PANTHERS | 39% |
| ATLANTA FALCONS | 61% |
Click HERE for complete breakdown of Project FiveThirtyEight predictions for the 2017 season)
Season Prediction
| ELO Rating | One Week Change | Make Playoffs | Win Division | 1st Round Bye | Win Super Bowl |
| 1604 | + 5 | ✓ | 10% | <1% | 2% |
| 1618 | - 19 | 70% | - | - | 2% |
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
The Law Firm
It's beginning to feel a lot like 2015. The Panthers offense is (for the most part) finding ways to score points despite mounting injuries to the WR corps. KB, again, is gone and replaced by Funchess. Behind FunFun we have "The Law Firm of Shepard, Clay, Bersin & Frazier." Those four combine for 28 receptions, 364yds and 1 TD (the majority coming from Shepard). Funchess alone has more than double each of those stats. In the absence of Samuel and Byrd, these four will have to provide reliable targets for Cam this week against the Falcons. Clay and Shepard have shown flashes, but also both have issues with drops a la Philly Brown in 2015. Bersin is, as usual, a reliable option and tough kid but not someone to set the field on fire. Frazier is an unknown.
Cam and Atlanta
Every time Cam returns to his hometown he looks to put on a show. This time, in a new venue. In his weekly presser he said, “I guess it’s time to create more lasting memories.” He blew out USC in the Georgia dome en route to an SEC title in college. He earned his first NFCS title there in 2013 and clinched his second there the following year. The next year the Falcons ruined the Panthers regular season there. Could Cam's first "lasting memory" in the Megatron Butthole be of a dynamic victory setting the stage for another NFCS title (with some help from TB)? Or could it be a disappointing loss to cap off a roller coaster regular season? After watching thousands of Falcons fans come out of the woodwork last year you know Newton would love nothing more than to end their season Sunday in their house and sweep the team that walked all over the Panthers in 2016. You know those games where Cam just seems to be on a different plane from the rest of the players? Expect this to be one of those games.
The Return of the Vets
This week the Panthers defense gets back two great assets. WPMOTY, All-Pro LB Thomas Davis returns from his one-game suspension for a hit on the Packers Davante Adams. Davis' impact on the defense cannot be overstated. With him back and Shaq healthy, the pair plus Luke free up the DBs to blitz occasionally or play more aggressively knowing that our 3 LBs can cover the space most teams would need four players to fill. The Panthers also get back fellow Bulldog, Charles Johnson, back from a four game suspension for a positive PED test. While stellar play from Pep and Addison have covered CJ's absence well, it will still be nice to get him back in the rotation. One can only assume that the 4 weeks off have helped him cope with the nagging back issues that likely led to his using of a banned substance. CJ has spent the past 4 weeks working out in Miami and according to the team he returned in good shape and high spirits. Let's hope that translates to a bad day for Matt Ryan.
MATCHUP HISTORY
All Time Record: 18-27 (Falcons lead)
Largest Victory: 38-0 (12/13/15)
Current Streak: 1W
- Since Cam came to Carolina, the Panthers are 6-7 against the Falcons
HEAD TO HEAD
| CAROLINA | OFFENSE | VS. | ATLANTA | DEFENSE |
| Points/Game | 23.5 (#11) | ⬅ | 20.3 (#11) | Opp Points/Game |
| Yards/Game | 328.7 (#17) | ⬅ | 323.1 (#10) | Opp Yards/Game |
| Points/Play | 0.365 (#11) | ⬅ | 0.327 (#14) | Opp Points/Play |
| Yards/Play | 5.1 (#19) | ⬅ | 5.2 (#14) | Opp Yards/Play |
| 3D Conversion % | 42.51% (#6) | ⬅ | 38.67% (#17) | Opp 3D Conv % |
| 4D Conversion % | 40.00% (#21) | ➡ | 66.67% (#29) | Opp 4D Conv % |
| RZ Scoring % (TD) | 54.00% (#17) | ⬅ | 45.65% (#6) | Opp RZ Scoring % (TD) |
| TDs/Game | 2.6 (#9) | ⬅ | 2.1 (#6) | Opp TDs/Game |
| ATLANTA | OFFENSE | VS. | CAROLINA | DEFENSE |
| Points/Game | 22.1 (#15) | ➡ | 20.3 (#11) | Opp Points/Game |
| Yards/Game | 364.4 (#9) | ➡ | 313.5 (#7) | Opp Yards/Game |
| Points/Play | 0.363 (#13) | ➡ | 0.346 (#16) | Opp Points/Play |
| Yards/Play | 6.0 (#4) | ⬅ | 5.3 (#18) | Opp Yards/Play |
| 3D Conversion % | 45.30% (#1) | ➡ | 37.89% (#14) | Opp 3D Conv % |
| 4D Conversion % | 30.77% (#27) | ➡ | 35.00% (#9) | Opp 4D Conv % |
| RZ Scoring % (TD) | 53.06% (#20) | ➡ | 51.28% (#13) | Opp RZ Scoring % (TD) |
| TDs/Game | 2.3 (#18) | ➡ | 2.2 (#10) | Opp TDs/Game |
BY THE NUMBERS
2003
Panthers special teams have seemingly come alive this year, with Kaelin Clay having returned a punt for a touchdown and Damiere Byrd having the Panthers' first kickoff return touchdown since Kealoha Pilares in 2011. But the Panthers haven't had both a kickoff return TD and a punt return TD in the same season since 2003. That year, Steve Smith took a punt to the house for the fourth time in his career, and Rod "He Hate Me" Smart scored the only touchdown of his NFL career. For the record, the Pilares touchdown was the only kick return TD the Panthers had between Smart in 2003 and Byrd in 2017.
27
The Panthers' depth at receiver has suddenly become the team's biggest panic point going into the playoffs. Not counting Devin Funchess, the other four receivers on the Panthers' roster have combined for 27 receptions this season. Russell Shepard has 17, Brenton Bersin has 6, Kaelin Clay has 4, and Mose Frazier has 0. Kelvin Benjamin still ranks third on the team with 32 receptions.
128
Cam Newton may have had a subpar year when it comes to passing the ball, but he's been a workhorse as per usual in the running game. Cam currently has 128 rushing attempts on the season, and it's almost certain he'll break his personal record of 132 set in 2015. That total ranks second overall for QBs, behind only former Chicago Bear Bobby Douglass's 141, which happened in a 14-game season! But Cam fills out the rest of the top five: 132 in 2015, 128 this year, 127 in 2012, and 126 in 2011.
96.5%
He got a lot of grief during the preseason, and I was in the camp that we should have kept Butker and kicked Gano. But barring a meltdown against the Falcons, Graham Gano will win the kicking crown this year. His field goal percentage of 96.5% (28 makes on 29 attempts) is tops in the NFL. For comparison, Butker is 36 of 40--90%. Gano's number comes with some caveats. His longest make is from 48 yards, and his only miss is from 55 (against Detroit). Plus, his percentage on PATs (33 for 36, 91.7%) is actually WORSE than his FG%! What a weird year.
<1%
The FiveThirtyEight prediction machine is more useful for playing out scenarios than actually predicting outcomes. Regardless, it rates the Panthers chances of getting a first-round bye as less than one percent! Here's what has to happen: the Panthers need to defeat the Falcons and have the Saints lose to the Bucs in order to win the NFC South. That's step one. Then, the Panthers need two other results to go their way: the Rams must lose to the 49ers and the Vikings must lose to the Bears. That ties the Panthers and Vikes at 12-4, and the Panthers get the 2-seed (and a much-needed bye week) by virtue of their head-to-head win. So you're saying there's a chance...
PANTHERS POWER RANKINGS
| Outlet | Rank | Last Week | Weekly Change | Notes |
| 7 | 8 | ↑ 1 | There are no easy games in the NFL, and while it’s not ideal that the Panthers struggled with the Buccaneers on Sunday, they got the win in the final minute. Getting a tough test like that is not the worst thing for the Panthers as they head into the playoffs. |
| 7 | 8 | ↑ 1 | Cam Newton has had some of the best success of his career running this year, which has helped Carolina to 11 wins. Newton currently leads the team in rushing and has set a career high in yards on designed rushing plays. |
| 7 | 8 | ↑ 1 | Recap: The Panthers were outplayed by the visiting Buccaneers for the most part but still somehow managed to rally for a victory and earn an invitation to the playoffs. Tampa Bay outgained Ron Rivera’s club in total yards by a combined 392-255 count. Cam Newton was sacked twice and picked off once and threw for only 160 yards in the game. Carolina’s celebrated defense allowed Bucs’ quarterback Jameis Winston to throw for 367 yards and one touchdown. But Rivera’s pass rush sacked him three times and caused him to lose all three of his fumbles. Newton orchestrated a late touchdown drive and the Panthers survived. Next Week: It’s an opportunity to sweep the rival Falcons for the first time since 2013. Rivera’s club came away with a 20-17 win in early Novembers (Week 9) and snapped a three-game losing streak to the current defending NFC champions. Carolina owns a 6-4 record in the last 10 meetings in this series. Playoff Picture: The Panthers are back in the postseason for the fourth time in five years. And if the Saints somehow stumble at Tampa and Rivera’s team can defeat the Falcons at Atlanta next Sunday, Newton and company are NFC South champions. |
| 3 | 2 | ↓ 1 | The Panthers probably are headed to a wild-card berth. But they would be a very good in that role and fully capable of running the table to reach the Super Bowl. |
| 6 | 6 | - | Is Julius Peppers really 37 years old? With his 11th sack of season Sunday and two fumble recoveries, he dominated Father Time once again. |
| 6 | 6 | - | The Panthers did a great job winning a game in which they didn't play well. Hopefully, it serves as a learning experience. All of the concerns I've had about Carolina were prevalent on Sunday. There was too much pressure on Cam Newton, and he doesn't have the weapons at receiver to help him out when he's under pressure. Tight end Greg Olsen is terrific, and running back Christian McCaffrey is a nice outlet, but there aren't any weapons on the outside who can stretch the field and back the defense off the line of scrimmage. Newton was amazing on Carolina's last scoring drive, but he cannot be asked to do everything on his own so often. Defensively, the Panthers gave up too many big plays in the pass game. This has been a concern all year. The Panthers defense is good, especially up front, but the secondary isn't built to contain elite passing offenses. That could be a major issue heading into the postseason. |
| 7 | 8 | | Scary win for the Panthers, who almost sleepwalked their way into losing to the Bucs -- and letting an opportunity to win the NFC South slip away -- on their home field. Case in point: With the Panthers down four points, a furious Julius Peppers pass rush induced a holding call on Tampa Bay in the Bucs' end zone, which would have meant two points and possession to Carolina. But, but, Star Lotulelei shoved a guy as the play was ending, so offsetting penalties meant the safety didn't count. Oy. Then Jameis Winston converted on third-and-a-mile. Just when you thought it wasn't the Panthers' day, Tampa kicker Patrick Murray missed another long-range kick (like last week). Cam Newton and the other 10 guys on Carolina's offense put together a drive to win the game, fumble and all. That's football. |
| 5 | 5 | - | That wasn't a great effort against Tampa Bay, but they rallied to earn a playoff spot. They can still win the division if they beat Atlanta and the Saints lose. |
NFL STANDINGS
| Team | Overall Record | Division | Division Record | Conf Record | PF | PA | Streak |
| (xyz) | Eagles | 13-2 | NFC East | 5-0 | 10-1 | 457 | 289 | W3 |
| (xyz) | Patriots | 12-3 | AFC East | 4-1 | 9-2 | 432 | 290 | W2 |
| (xy) | Vikings | 12-3 | NFC North | 4-1 | 9-2 | 359 | 242 | W2 |
| (xyz) | Steelers | 12-3 | AFC North | 5-0 | 9-2 | 378 | 284 | W1 |
| xy | Rams | 11-4 | NFC West | 4-1 | 7-4 | 465 | 295 | W2 |
| y | Saints | 11-4 | NFC South | 4-1 | 8-3 | 424 | 295 | W2 |
| y | Panthers | 11-4 | NFC South | 3-2 | 7-4 | 353 | 305 | W3 |
| (xy) | Jaguars | 10-5 | AFC South | 4-1 | 9-2 | 407 | 253 | L1 |
| xy | Chiefs | 9-6 | AFC North | 4-1 | 7-4 | 388 | 315 | W3 |
| Ravens | 9-6 | NFC East | 3-2 | 7-4 | 368 | 272 | W2 |
| Falcons | 9-6 | NFC South | 3-2 | 8-3 | 331 | 305 | L1 |
| Seahawks | 9-6 | NFC West | 4-1 | 7-4 | 342 | 306 | W1 |
| Titans | 8-7 | AFC South | 4-1 | 7-4 | 319 | 346 | L3 |
| Chargers | 8-7 | AFC West | 2-3 | 5-6 | 325 | 262 | W1 |
| Bills | 8-7 | AFC East | 2-3 | 6-5 | 280 | 343 | L1 |
| Lions | 8-7 | NFC North | 4-1 | 7-4 | 375 | 365 | L1 |
| Cowboys | 8-7 | NFC East | 4-1 | 6-5 | 348 | 332 | L1 |
| Packers | 7-8 | NFC North | 2-3 | 5-6 | 309 | 349 | L2 |
| Redskins | 7-8 | NFC East | 1-4 | 5-6 | 332 | 370 | W2 |
| Cardinals | 7-8 | NFC West | 2-3 | 4-7 | 269 | 337 | W1 |
| Dolphins | 6-9 | AFC East | 2-3 | 5-6 | 265 | 371 | L2 |
| Bengals | 6-9 | AFC North | 2-3 | 5-6 | 259 | 322 | W1 |
| Raiders | 6-9 | AFC West | 2-3 | 5-6 | 291 | 343 | L3 |
| Broncos | 5-10 | AFC West | 2-3 | 4-7 | 265 | 355 | L1 |
| 49ers | 5-10 | NFC West | 0-5 | 2-9 | 297 | 370 | W4 |
| Jets | 5-10 | AFC East | 2-3 | 5-6 | 292 | 356 | L3 |
| Bears | 5-10 | NFC North | 0-5 | 1-10 | 254 | 297 | W1 |
| Texans | 4-11 | AFC South | 1-4 | 3-8 | 325 | 414 | L5 |
| Buccs | 4-11 | NFC South | 0-5 | 2-9 | 304 | 358 | L5 |
| Colts | 3-12 | AFC South | 1-4 | 2-9 | 241 | 391 | L6 |
| Giants | 2-13 | NFC East | 0-5 | 0-11 | 228 | 378 | L5 |
| Browns | 0-15 | AFC North | 0-5 | 0-11 | 210 | 382 | L15 |
- (x) Clinched Division
- (z) Clinched Bye
- (y) Clinched Playoff Berth
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Damiere Byrd headed to IR
RR's T-shirt game continues to be awesome
Byrd is the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week (first Panther to win it since Pilares in 2011)
Cam Newton V Julio Jones
Cam Newton in the huddle
The versatility of Cam Newton and Christian McCaffrery
Why Cam Newton is Unstoppable
Luke Kuechly "What makes the NFC great is that everyone has to bring their A-Game every week."
A Look At: Mose Frazier
Ron Rivera's Speech after win over Buccaneers
The Panthers’ Resurgent Rushing Attack Makes Them Playoff Contenders
Everything but Football: Julius Peppers
The Best play from Every Game in 2017
Greg Olsen makes some awesome Crank Calls
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nfl playoff point spreads usa today video
Find NFL Las Vegas Sportsbook Odds, Betting Lines and Point Spreads for the 2020-21 football season provided by VegasInsider However, as we look at NFL Playoff odds and point spreads for the wild card round, one can’t look past the Ravens attempting to exact revenge against the Titans and the Cleveland Browns doing ... NFL. NFL playoff odds and point spreads: Divisional round. By Vincent Frank. Sportsnaut. 5h. Follow ... The USA TODAY Sports Network previews each of this weekend's matchups: Vikings-49ers, Titans-Ravens, Texans-Chiefs and Seahawks-Packers. NFL divisional playoff previews: Point spreads, TV info, predictions NFL Playoff odds and point spreads are here for the divisional round this coming weekend. They can’t be considered too surprising. Fresh off their bye in the wildcard round, the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs boast the biggest point spread of the weekend against the upstart Cleveland Browns. Meanwhile, the Green Bay Packers […] Get the latest NFL odds, spreads and betting lines from this week's games, as well as full coverage of the National Football League from USA TODAY NFL playoff odds 2021: Opening point spreads for Wild Card round. NFL playoffs. We've got an early look at opening point spreads for the Wild Card round of the 2021 NFL Playoffs. Continue reading on DraftKings Nation. Trending now. Gus Bradley . Bruce Willis . Chuck Norris . Elise Stefanik . Michigan basketball . Complete coverage of the NFL with game scores, player information, team standings, and full analysis. Find NFL odds, point spreads, and betting lines for the 2020-2021 football season. Visit FOXSports.com for this week's top action! The NFL Playoffs will start out with a six-game slate this coming weekend. It should be a blast with the Colts and Bills opening up the action in Western New York. However, as we look at NFL Playoff odds and point spreads for the wild card round, one can’t look past the Ravens attempting to […]
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