Panthers (

20.25) at
WFT (

30.75)

Game Overview ::

By mike johnson >>

• The Panthers offense continues to be built primarily around running back Chuba Hubbard and wide receiver Diontae Johnson, who have combined for approximately 60% of the team’s offensive usage in games QB Andy Dalton has started.
• The Carolina defense ranks near the bottom of the league against both the run and the pass and has surrendered an average of 4 offensive touchdowns per game.
• Washington has the league’s 2nd ranked offense by DVOA and averages 3.2 offensive touchdowns per game despite having a game where they settled for seven field goals.
• Carolina’s defense has proven incapable of getting pressure on the quarterback and this sets up as a game where Jayden Daniels should have all day to throw.
• Washington’s offense may spread things around this week but there should be a lot to go around.

How Carolina Will Try To Win ::

The Panthers had a nice spark when they switched from Bryce Young to Andy Dalton for their Week 3 win over the Raiders, but have slowly come back down to earth since then. The biggest issue they have had over the last three weeks has been continuing offensive success into the second half of games. During those three games against the Bengals, Bears, and Falcons they have scored 38 first half points as opposed to only 16 second half points. This should not be especially surprising as they are able to script plays and design some things to take advantage of their opponent early in the game but then as teams adjust to them, they do not have enough playmakers or diversity in what they can do to find other ways to score.

Chuba Hubbard and Diontae Johnson are clearly the engines of this offense and have combined for 55 to 65% of the team’s offensive usage in three of their four games since Andy Dalton took over under center. The one exception was their game in Chicago where the Bears elite secondary did a great job of taking Johnson out of the game from the outset. The Commanders defense ranks 29th in the NFL in pass defense DVOA, 30th in PFF coverage grade, and have played man coverage at a high rate while giving up some big plays out of it this season, so Johnson should be able to make some noise in this matchup, and a situation like the Bears game is highly unlikely. Johnson is an elite route runner and should have a lot of opportunities in this one. Hubbard is averaging over 22 opportunities per game and has been very good with those opportunities. Washington’s run defense has been nothing special and Hubbard has been very involved in the passing game, so we should expect high volume from him once again this week as well. Finally, the offense will likely need to be aggressive this week as they are facing an elite offensive opponent who they are unlikely to slow down. Rookie offensive weapons WR Xavier Legette and TE Ja’Tavion Sanders should be more involved as the season wears on and this would be a week where one or both of them being more involved would make a lot of sense.

How Washington Will Try To Win ::