Panthers WR DJ Moore is blossoming, but Falcons’ Matt Ryan is ‘flammable’
Panthers wide receiver DJ Moore has taken a couple of big steps over the past couple of weeks, posting back-to-back 100-yard receiving games.
Moore, a second-year player who’s only 22 years old, leads the Panthers in receiving yardage (684) and is on pace for a 1,200-yard season. He has turned heads recently due to the number of connections he’s made with quarterback Kyle Allen.
“He’s grown a great deal throughout the last year and a half,” Panthers offensive coordinator Norv Turner said of Moore. “He’s playing a lot faster…. And I think that comes with understanding. If you’re thinking and trying to figure things out, sometimes it slows you down. He’s attacking defenders. He’s attacking coverages.… He’s a lot more aggressive, and I think that’s confidence.”
Moore’s best play last week was a 12-yard catch on fourth-and-10 in the snow late in the game at Green Bay. By that point, Moore said: “I couldn’t feel my hands.” Still, he got open and caught the ball.
“DJ has always been a solid, steady player for us,” Allen said. “Strong hands. Strong through his routes…. Can beat you over the top, too.”
Moore has developed a particular affinity for slant routes. He has also saved Allen a couple of times from interceptions by playing defense on balls that weren’t thrown so well.
“When you’ve got a guy like him who isn’t afraid to be physical, isn’t afraid to use his body, you have that trust in him,” Allen said. “Because you know if you put it out there, it’s either going to be his ball, or it’s going to be nobody’s ball.”
What’s left? Moore needs to score more. He has scored only one touchdown this season, while fellow receiver Curtis Samuel has five.
▪ The Panthers have gone 1-6 over their past seven games against the Atlanta Falcons, who have always been a thorn in their side. That streak started when the Falcons upset a Panthers team that was 14-0 in 2015, ruining Carolina’s chance at an undefeated season.
Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan has been at the helm for all of those games along with a lot more – Ryan is 14-8 in his career vs. Carolina.
Ryan is very accurate and pretty immobile, which means he’s a stationary target in the pocket (the Panthers once sacked him nine times in a game in 2013). But he gets rid of the ball so quickly it often doesn’t matter. And he can get hot fast.
“Matt Ryan is one of these flammable quarterbacks,” Panthers defensive tackle Gerald McCoy said. “When I say ‘flammable’ quarterback, he’s a guy that if he gets started, it’s hard to slow him down. He’s a momentum guy.… If he’s in rhythm, Matt Ryan is very, very hard to stop. You’ve got to get him off schedule early.”
Carolina’s best shot will be to affect Ryan with their pass rush, which leads the NFL with 36 sacks.
▪ If you think the Panthers’ run defense problems only started this year when the team switched to a 3-4, you probably are like me and forgot that Carolina actually gave up 115 yards in only eight carries to backup Falcons running back Brian Hill last December in Charlotte.
▪ The Julio Jones/James Bradberry matchup will be a big one Sunday. Jones has faced the Panthers 13 times since 2011, averaging 94.8 receiving yards per game.
▪ Prediction time: I moved to 7-2 picking Carolina games last week after choosing Green Bay to win that one. Carolina (5-4) always has trouble with the Falcons, but Atlanta (2-7) has found a lot of ways to lose close games this season. My pick: Carolina 26, Atlanta 24.
This story was originally published November 15, 2019 at 1:58 PM.