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WHICH CAM?
One of the main goals for QB Cam Newton entering this season was to be more consistent. That hasn’t happened yet. Typifying the state of the entire Carolina squad this season, he’s been Good Cam/Bad Cam almost on a weekly basis. Two Sundays ago against Arizona, he was guilty of four turnovers and was sacked seven times in a 22-6 loss. Last Sunday vs. Minnesota, he threw for three touchdowns, ran for another and posted a career-best 143.4 passer rating in a 35-10 win. Is this his good week or bad week?
SMITH & CO.
When asked how the “old man” of the Panthers’ WR corps was doing, coach Jeff Fisher replied: “He’s not playing like an old man right now. He wants the ball, and he can get behind you, and he’s still blocking like he always has.” At age 34, Steve Smith’s yards per catch are down (9.7), but the Panthers are trying a couple of deep shots a game to Ted Ginn Jr., known mainly as a return man throughout his career. Brandon LaFell can get deep as well. Productive TE Greg Olsen has been playing through a foot injury.
THE QUICK & THE POWERFUL
The Panthers don’t have a marquee back such as Arian Foster or Frank Gore, but their backfield tandem of RB DeAngelo Williams and FB Mike Tolbert offers widely contrasting styles. Even at age 30, Williams still is all about burst and acceleration. He’s averaging 4.3 yards per carry. Generously listed at 245 pounds on a 5-foot-9 frame, Tolbert is a strong lead blocker but also a punishing short-yardage/red zone runner. The Rams’ 30th-ranked rushing defense still hasn’t shown it can contain the ground game.
HELLO QUINTIN
Coach Ron Rivera makes no bones about it. One of the reasons the Panthers signed safety Quintin Mikell was his knowledge of the NFC West, including of course his former team. “He’s talked with us about the players; given us some background,” Rivera said. For his part, Mikell can’t wait to play against the Rams, who released him in March in a salary cap-related move. “Whenever you get to go against your former team ... you get excited to show ‘em what you still have,’’ he said. “So I definitely am motivated.”
ATTACKING THE BACK END
As good as the Panthers’ front seven is, their secondary is so-so. If the Rams can keep Carolina off balance with some success in the running game and protect QB Sam Bradford, there should be opportunities in the passing game. Carolina’s corners are nothing special but do tackle well. The Panthers like to play soft coverage with their safeties deep. So patience, including the short and underneath tosses that draw the ire of many Rams fans and observers, could be the way to go. Can you say check-down?
TAVON TIME?
The Rams faced the NFL’s 31st-ranked punt coverage unit last week in Houston, but the turnover-plagued Texans punted only twice. One went for a touchback; the other was kicked so short a return wasn’t possible. But Tavon Austin gets another chance this week because the Panthers aren’t much better on punt coverage, ranking 27th. With Benny Cunningham out because of a severe ankle injury, Austin could return kickoffs today as well. Then again, 22 of kicker Graham Gano’s 24 kickoffs have resulted in touchbacks.
BACK IN CHARLOTTE
The Rams haven’t played in Charlotte since 2006, but there have been some great moments — and some not so great — at what is now called Bank of America Stadium. In the 1999 Super Bowl season, the Rams clinched their first NFC West title as a St. Louis-based franchise with a 34-21 victory in early December. A framed poster-sized photo still hangs in the Rams Park media workroom of a beaming Kevin Carter, Marshall Faulk and D’Marco Farr wearing division championship caps just after the game ended.
WHICH CAM?
One of the main goals for QB Cam Newton entering this season was to be more consistent. That hasn’t happened yet. Typifying the state of the entire Carolina squad this season, he’s been Good Cam/Bad Cam almost on a weekly basis. Two Sundays ago against Arizona, he was guilty of four turnovers and was sacked seven times in a 22-6 loss. Last Sunday vs. Minnesota, he threw for three touchdowns, ran for another and posted a career-best 143.4 passer rating in a 35-10 win. Is this his good week or bad week?
SMITH & CO.
When asked how the “old man” of the Panthers’ WR corps was doing, coach Jeff Fisher replied: “He’s not playing like an old man right now. He wants the ball, and he can get behind you, and he’s still blocking like he always has.” At age 34, Steve Smith’s yards per catch are down (9.7), but the Panthers are trying a couple of deep shots a game to Ted Ginn Jr., known mainly as a return man throughout his career. Brandon LaFell can get deep as well. Productive TE Greg Olsen has been playing through a foot injury.
THE QUICK & THE POWERFUL
The Panthers don’t have a marquee back such as Arian Foster or Frank Gore, but their backfield tandem of RB DeAngelo Williams and FB Mike Tolbert offers widely contrasting styles. Even at age 30, Williams still is all about burst and acceleration. He’s averaging 4.3 yards per carry. Generously listed at 245 pounds on a 5-foot-9 frame, Tolbert is a strong lead blocker but also a punishing short-yardage/red zone runner. The Rams’ 30th-ranked rushing defense still hasn’t shown it can contain the ground game.
HELLO QUINTIN
Coach Ron Rivera makes no bones about it. One of the reasons the Panthers signed safety Quintin Mikell was his knowledge of the NFC West, including of course his former team. “He’s talked with us about the players; given us some background,” Rivera said. For his part, Mikell can’t wait to play against the Rams, who released him in March in a salary cap-related move. “Whenever you get to go against your former team ... you get excited to show ‘em what you still have,’’ he said. “So I definitely am motivated.”
ATTACKING THE BACK END
As good as the Panthers’ front seven is, their secondary is so-so. If the Rams can keep Carolina off balance with some success in the running game and protect QB Sam Bradford, there should be opportunities in the passing game. Carolina’s corners are nothing special but do tackle well. The Panthers like to play soft coverage with their safeties deep. So patience, including the short and underneath tosses that draw the ire of many Rams fans and observers, could be the way to go. Can you say check-down?
TAVON TIME?
The Rams faced the NFL’s 31st-ranked punt coverage unit last week in Houston, but the turnover-plagued Texans punted only twice. One went for a touchback; the other was kicked so short a return wasn’t possible. But Tavon Austin gets another chance this week because the Panthers aren’t much better on punt coverage, ranking 27th. With Benny Cunningham out because of a severe ankle injury, Austin could return kickoffs today as well. Then again, 22 of kicker Graham Gano’s 24 kickoffs have resulted in touchbacks.
BACK IN CHARLOTTE
The Rams haven’t played in Charlotte since 2006, but there have been some great moments — and some not so great — at what is now called Bank of America Stadium. In the 1999 Super Bowl season, the Rams clinched their first NFC West title as a St. Louis-based franchise with a 34-21 victory in early December. A framed poster-sized photo still hangs in the Rams Park media workroom of a beaming Kevin Carter, Marshall Faulk and D’Marco Farr wearing division championship caps just after the game ended.