Sports
PANTHERS TRAVEL TO PHILADELPHIA FOR MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
PANTHERS (2-8) at EAGLES (3-7)
Cam Newton (Source: Kent Smith)
(Source: Kent Smith)
play the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football at Lincoln
Financial Field. Philadelphia is also looking to bounce
back after a loss to the Washington Redskins.
The scene in Philadelphia will be very familiar for Carolina head
coach Ron Rivera and defensive coordinator Sean McDermott, who
were long-time members of Andy Reid´s Eagles coaching staff, but
Rivera says sentimentality is not the focus.
“We have a group of players who have been very resilient in the
face of some tough losses and it is important to win for them,“ says
Rivera, whose team has lost six games by six points or less. Those six losses have come by a total of 23 points.
coach Ron Rivera and defensive coordinator Sean McDermott, who
were long-time members of Andy Reid´s Eagles coaching staff, but
Rivera says sentimentality is not the focus.
“We have a group of players who have been very resilient in the
face of some tough losses and it is important to win for them,“ says
Rivera, whose team has lost six games by six points or less. Those six losses have come by a total of 23 points.
Last week´s game fit that pattern as Carolina built an 11-point lead
with six minutes to go only to see Tampa Bay kick a field goal and
score a touchdown followed by a two-point conversion to tie the
game in regulation on their final two possessions before winning in
overtime.
The Panthers also got an interception from safety Haruki Nakamura,
but it was still not enough to prevail as they loss for the third time
in the final five seconds of a game.
with six minutes to go only to see Tampa Bay kick a field goal and
score a touchdown followed by a two-point conversion to tie the
game in regulation on their final two possessions before winning in
overtime.
The Panthers also got an interception from safety Haruki Nakamura,
but it was still not enough to prevail as they loss for the third time
in the final five seconds of a game.
For the defense, the ending spoiled a strong 3 ½ quarter performance that reflected the continued improvement over the season.
Defensive end Greg Hardy teamed with Andre Neblett for a sack to
raise his season total to seven and bring Hardy´s combined sack
total with teammate Charles Johnson to 15.5.
Rookie middle linebacker Luke Kuechly continued his outstanding
play with 12 tackles to raise his team leading season total to 120.
Kuechly also had a fumble recovery in the end zone to prevent a
Tampa Bay touchdown.
Defensive end Greg Hardy teamed with Andre Neblett for a sack to
raise his season total to seven and bring Hardy´s combined sack
total with teammate Charles Johnson to 15.5.
Rookie middle linebacker Luke Kuechly continued his outstanding
play with 12 tackles to raise his team leading season total to 120.
Kuechly also had a fumble recovery in the end zone to prevent a
Tampa Bay touchdown.
The result has been inconsistency in the running game, where the
Panthers are an uncharacteristic 16th in yardage after rushing for
more yards than any team in the NFL since 2008. Newton leads the
team with 394 yards on the ground and triggers a passing game that
is 18th. The strength of the passing game has been its downfield
ability where Carolina ranks eighth in average yards per play with
Smith averaging 16.1 yards per reception and LaFell 16.9 yards per
catch. However, it is tight end Greg Olsen who leads the team in
catches with 45, one more than Smith.
“I feel like we are doing a lot of things right, but we have to find a
way to translate those things into victories,“ says Rivera.
Panthers are an uncharacteristic 16th in yardage after rushing for
more yards than any team in the NFL since 2008. Newton leads the
team with 394 yards on the ground and triggers a passing game that
is 18th. The strength of the passing game has been its downfield
ability where Carolina ranks eighth in average yards per play with
Smith averaging 16.1 yards per reception and LaFell 16.9 yards per
catch. However, it is tight end Greg Olsen who leads the team in
catches with 45, one more than Smith.
“I feel like we are doing a lot of things right, but we have to find a
way to translate those things into victories,“ says Rivera.
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