It’s time to put your seatbelts on, Carolina Panthers fans. (And we’re not talking about the kind Jaycee Horn is known for.)
Here are the top storylines for what will be a huge day for the Carolina Panthers and Pittsburgh Steelers at Bank of America Stadium.
Staying grounded
The Panthers and offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo have a clear plan right now—keep running until you can’t run anymore. And since Sam Darnold is under center, can you blame them?
As of now, you can’t—because it’s worked!
Darnold ended his first start in Week 12 having thrown just 19 passes for 164 yards with the ground game picking up the onus for 185 yards on 46 attempts. The results were quite similar in Week 14, as Darnold collected 120 yards on 24 chucks while the rushing attack tallied 223 yards on another 46 tries.
But will that formula be sustainable against the Steelers defense, which has allowed the ninth-fewest yards per carry (4.2) in 2022? And will the Panthers be tempted to shoot on the relatively weak Pittsburgh secondary?
While minimizing opportunities for a usually turnover-prone Darnold is a wise strategy, your backfield can only take you so far. (Just ask the Tennessee Titans.) So if Carolina wants to make a serious run, they’ll have to win through the air at some point. Does that point begin on Sunday?
Sophie's Choice?
Speaking of quarterback decisions, the Steelers have a rough choice to make. With rookie Kenny Pickett ruled as doubtful due to a concussion, it’ll likely be down to Mitchell Trubisky or Mason Rudolph.
Yikes.
Well, whoever’s ultimately under center for Pittsburgh, they’ll have to face a promising Panthers defense that’s at the height of their powers in 2022. Over their last four games, they’ve allowed just 15.5 points per contest with 14 sacks and four interceptions.
There’s no doubt interim head coach Steve Wilks and defensive coordinator Al Holcomb have their guys rolling. And if the Steelers are rolling into Bank of America Stadium with uncertainty under center—especially with the likes of Trubisky and Rudolph—it could be a terrible afternoon for them.
Implications
If it is a terrible afternoon for the Steelers, it’ll also be a historical one. A loss would send Pittsburgh to 5-9—effectively clinching the first losing season in the 16-year head-coaching career of Mike Tomlin.
(Yeah, you read that correctly. Tomlin’s that dude.)
That result would also send the Panthers to 6-8, which could move them into a tie atop the NFC South. And given that the struggling Tampa Bay Buccaneers are matching up with the hot Cincinnati Bengals, that’s very much a possibility.
But, for now, all Carolina can worry about is themselves and not the scoreboard. Amidst what should be the first taste of a playoff atmosphere in a long time for Charlotte, it’s time to defend the Bank.
