How Carolina can March into Chicago and come out Victorious
Two of the NFL's worst teams face off in primetime this Thursday Night as the Panthers head to the Windy City to play the Bears. Carolina sits at 1-7, and Chicago at a slightly better 2-7. This game carries extra weight for Carolina, as Chicago has their first-round pick from this offseason trade to move up for QB Bryce Young.
Offensively, their "young" QB Bryce Young must find some rhythm in this game. Chicago bolsters one of the worst passing defenses in the entire NFL. Carolina must come into this game to exploit the Bears' secondary without rookie CB Tyrique Stevenson. Veteran WR Adam Theilen has to be the primary catalyst in assisting Bryce Young in attacking the Bears vertically down the field. The 33-year-old has proven to have plenty in the tank, as he has had a very successful season thus far. Theilen hauled 62 catches for 610 yards and four touchdowns through 8 games this season. Running backs Chubba Hubbard and Miles Sanders will lead the rushing attack tonight. The Bears have been great at stopping the run this season, so if these two can't get it going rushing, look for them to be players in the receiving game out of the backfield.
On the defensive side of the ball, Carolina has done a tremendous job of getting off the field on third down. The Panthers have rushed the passer at a league-high rate, a massive contributor to that third-down success. The Bears do not protect the passer well, having allowed the 4th most sacks in the league with 30. Carolina must get home tonight on rookie QB Tyson Bagent, getting after him early and often can create turnovers for Carolina to take advantage of.
Carolina has little to gain with a win tonight, outside of damaging the Bears' odds at the first overall pick. That being said, the NFL is a proud league and management will surely push for a win tonight to help validate their decisions. Quarterback Bryce Young will look to continue improving against one of the league's weaker defenses. If he thrives tonight, it will be a major sigh of relief and an uplifting sight for all involved both within the organization and as a fan.