Which matchups will help the Carolina Panthers and interim head coach Chris Tabor have some extra fun in Week 13?
Here are four key battles to keep an eye on in Sunday’s battle with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers:
Panthers iOL vs. Buccaneers DT Vita Vea
The last thing the Panthers organization wants to see today is 6-foot-4, 350-pound Vita Vea on top of 5-foot-10, 200-pound Bryce Young. But given the current state of their interior offensive line, that’s a very real possibility.
Brady Christensen, Austin Corbett and Chandler Zavala are all now lost for the season—which has forced the offense to try and Flex Tape this thing up. The starters sandwiching center Bradley Bozeman may very well be Brett Toth, who would be making his third career start, and undrafted rookie Nash Jensen, who saw his first bit of NFL action just last week.
Panthers WR Adam Thielen vs. Buccaneers S Christian Izien
Last Sunday, the Tennessee Titans defense cut off the head of the snake for the Panthers offense. And unfortunately for the Panthers, their offense is no Hydra.
Thielen was often double-teamed and, as a result, phased out of the Week 12 loss—where he recorded all of one catch for just two yards. The unit’s painful reliance upon the 33-year-old veteran, as well as their lack of other legitimate pass-catching options, was more apparent than ever.
Tampa would be wise to use a similar approach, one headed by their primary slot defender in Izien.
Panthers RBs vs. Buccaneers LBs
The Buccaneers defense will be without both Lavonte David and Devin White up the middle. That’s bad news for the Buccaneers defense.
But we’re sure running backs Chuba Hubbard and Miles Sanders won’t mind, as they’ll look to take advantage of a softened run defense.
Panthers CB Jaycee Horn vs. Buccaneers WR Mike Evans
Horn, who hasn’t played since the season opener, was officially activated on Saturday and is expected to play. And if he’s playing, he’s definitely going to see himself some Big Mike.
Jaycee’s absence from last year’s trip to Raymond James Stadium may have been the difference in the heartbreaking outcome for the Panthers, who would’ve been a step off an improbable NFC South crown with a win. Alas, it was not to be—as Carolina blew an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter thanks, in large part, to Evans’ 207-yard, three-touchdown day.
Perhaps Horn won’t be a full go coming off that hamstring injury, but he could play a key part in keeping down the future Hall of Famer this time around.
