As we’ve mentioned before, NFL coaches love to divide the season up into quarters, the idea being you want to treat each quarter like a mini-season.  With the Panthers right at the halfway point of the season, they are looking to continue the success that they had in the previous two quarters, going 3-1 in each.  They will start the third quarter traveling out to Oakland to take on the dysfunctional Raiders in the Black Hole.

One of the things that we looked at over the bye week was Carolina’s performances on the road.  Outside of that fantastic performance in San Diego, the Panthers have failed to do much away from Bank of America Stadium, averaging a mere 13 points.  The Panthers will have an excellent opportunity to get to 2-2 on the road, as the Raiders are a long way from being a winning football team, not to mention that Darre McFadden is questionable, and JaMarcus Russell is out.

Keys to the Game

1. Offensive Line needs to Mesh- With Ryan Kalil and Jeff Otah expected back Sunday, the offensive line will again be reshuffled.  This will be the first time since week one that all of these players will be on the field together, so it is imperative that the line works well together.  As far as the makeshift lines went, you can’t be too disappointed, as the Panthers have only allowed 11 sacks all season.  It will be key that the line continues that type of pass protection, as well as open up big holes for DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart.

2. Get the Ball to Williams and Smith- Both DeAngelo Williams and Steve Smith have had an excellent couple of games, and are clearly the team’s playmakers on offense.  Smitty as you know is a game changer, being able to score on almost any play, just like the one two weeks ago against the Cardinals that gave the Panthers the spark they needed to end up winning the game.  Williams is having a breakout season, and should have a big game today against Oakland, which ranks a dismal 30th against the rush.

3. Generate a Pass Rush- With JaMarcus Russell not playing, the Raiders will be left with Andrew Walter to lead a horrific Raiders offense that ranks 29th in the NFL.  Obviously the key to any good defense is a good pass rush, but it is imperative that the Panthers apply pressure and make things difficult for Walter.  The Panthers cannot afford to allow Walter to get comfortable.

4. Don’t get Cocky- This two game stretch is by far the easiest of the season, and the Panthers cannot afford to get ahead of themselves.  No game in the NFL is a lock, and you have to focus on one opponent at a time or you’re going to get beat.  Yes, the Raiders are bad, but it only takes a few mental mistakes on the part of Carolina to keep them in the game, just look at what happened to Tampa Bay last week against Kansas City.

As far as injuries go, the two major injuries are Jonathan Stewart’s heal injury, he is questionable, and DT Darwin Walker is out.

One of the signs of good football teams is that they beat the teams that they are supposed to beat.  This is a game that Carolina is supposed to win.  With the way things are shaping up, if Carolina continues to win, they could be looking at a huge matchup week 16 when they take on the New York Giants for a potential number one seed in the NFC.

Panthers 27, Oakland 9

Tags: nfl coaches, oakland, panthers