With Arizona streaking, Carolina Panthers had better beat Tampa Bay
A lot about the NFL playoffs is getting hot at the right time.
For the Carolina Panthers, that is a worrisome thing.
The hottest team in the NFC right now is Arizona, which absolutely creamed Green Bay on Sunday.
The Cardinals are 13-2 and winners of nine straight. They have surpassed Carolina as the highest-scoring team in the NFL. If Arizona beats Seattle at home Sunday and the Panthers get upset at home vs. Tampa Bay, then suddenly the Panthers’ road to the Super Bowl gets way more difficult.
In that scenario, a proposed NFC title game Jan. 24 between Carolina and Arizona would be played in Arizona.
So Carolina’s game against 6-9 Tampa Bay has all sorts of importance Sunday. For many weeks, there has been a hypothetical question swirling over that game. “Should the Panthers rest their starters?”
Doesn’t matter what side you came down on that one anymore. The Tampa Bay game matters. If the Panthers don’t want to leave Charlotte in January, they have to beat the Buccaneers.
▪ Lots of things went wrong Sunday, but one of the biggest to me was Carolina’s inability to get a consistent pass rush from its front four – especially the defensive ends. That helped give Matt Ryan time, and when he has time he can pick a defense apart. Ryan and Cam Newton both threw 30 passes Sunday, but Ryan gained 306 on his and Newton only 142.
▪ Ted Ginn Jr. went out early with a knee injury Sunday, and although he returned, he didn’t look the same. Ginn had only 9 yards receiving after burning Atlanta for two long scores two weeks ago.
▪ Safety Kurt Coleman left the locker room with a walking boot on his left foot. Coleman’s slip and fall on the play that allowed Julio Jones to beat double-coverage and come down with a 70-yard touchdown pass was huge.
▪ Given that Cameron Artis-Payne had 49 rushing yards Sunday, it’s a shame he only got to run the ball five times.
▪ Tight end Greg Olsen unconsciously echoed former head coach John Fox’s statement after a terrible playoff loss to Arizona in the 2008 season Sunday. Said Olsen: “We picked a bad day to have a bad day.”
Actually, though, this was the best day to have a bad day that the Panthers have left. They can’t really afford another loss. They need to beat Tampa Bay in the regular season to win homefield advantage, and then they can’t lose in the playoffs or it’s over.
This story was originally published December 27, 2015 at 7:37 PM with the headline "With Arizona streaking, Carolina Panthers had better beat Tampa Bay."