Injuries to Panthers mean Opportunities for Matthews and Finley

by StephanL on Sep 15, 2011 11:34 AM CDT

The injuries keep coming for the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers best defender, Jon Beason, suffered a torn Achilles tendon. Starting right tackle Jeff Otah has been diagnosed with a concussion and will miss Sunday's game against the Superbowl Champion Green Bay Packers. The perfect storm seems to be brewing for two star players on the Packers roster, OLB Clay Matthews and TE Jermichael Finley, to break out with big time performances.

Matthews went without a sack in the opener against the Saints, but did get pressure and hits on Drew Brees that impacted the game. Matthews was quite dissatisfied with the performance the Packers defense put together against the Saints high powered offense. This week he'll have opportunites to tee off against a backup right tackle and a rookie quarterback. Clay will have his work cut out for him, facing an athlete like Cam Newton will stretch the field horizontally and vertically. Matthews will have to be ready to chase down and wrap up the 2010 Heisman Trophy winner.

The biggest mismatch in the league will find even more space to work with, as star middle linebacker Job Beason is vacated from the middle of the field by a season ending injury. Passes over the middle will be the key to taking advantage of a backup MLB, who will struggle to fill and guard passing lanes. I expect big things from Jermichael Finley this weekend (and James Starks too!)

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They do have a capable backup MLB

Dan Connor’s one of the better backups in the NFL. It’ll be fun to see them take advantage of the undrafted rookie LT though.

"I'm tired of pretending I'm not a rock star from Mars."

by Kuhl on Sep 15, 2011 2:06 PM CDT reply actions

Otah is a RT, not LT

Jordan Gross in the LT last time I heard. But you can be sure Matthews should have a good day vs an UDFA.

You've been Stroh'd™!!!

by Strohman on Sep 15, 2011 8:19 PM CDT up reply actions

Yeah my mistake...

Realized that after I posted it.

"I'm tired of pretending I'm not a rock star from Mars."

by Kuhl on Sep 15, 2011 10:33 PM CDT up reply actions

I expect

Both teams to come out with a heavy dose of runs. If Capers sits back in the 2-4 Nickel Package all game though, I don’t think the Packers will do well on D. Not against Carolin’a ground game. If Caper’s utilizes the base 3-4 more in this game, we should be fine. Starks should have a big game. Grant should as well. Really, there’s no excuse if we can’t get the running game going. That team has one of the league’s worse DT tandems in the NFL and is now starting a backup (but more than capable) MLB.

One game at a time...

by Jabooty on Sep 15, 2011 4:56 PM CDT reply actions

hmm

I feel like cam is going to get a huge dose of what real NFL football looks like this week. Capers is going to throw things at him that he’s never seen.

I am torn with playing Starks this week over Sproles. I think they both could be in for big weeks. I think Sproles might have the lower basement but I really agree that this could be a big week for Starks.

The Green Bay Packers...Putting bad coaches out of their misery since 2010

by TrevorR on Sep 16, 2011 12:06 PM CDT reply actions

That's a toughie

Picked up Sproles on Waivers the day before the Packer game… Thanks Wiedmann! Anyways, I would start Sproles. I’m starting him over Ryan Matthews.

I love Donald Driver. AND RANDALL COBB!

by arodgb on Sep 16, 2011 6:56 PM CDT up reply actions

I would play Sproles because he's at home in a dome....

he should play faster.

In Every Climb and Place....

I am an ass hat.

by PhoenicianPakFan on Sep 16, 2011 7:57 PM CDT up reply actions

play Starks

I’m a Panthers fan and I assure you Starks/Grant/Kuhn could roll over our DTs… plus we just lost Beason for the year, I’d easily choose Starks. I hate to down on my own team but I know a good matchup when I see one lol

by vitzeng on Sep 16, 2011 7:19 PM CDT up reply actions

Play Sproles

Starks isn’t the receiver/kick returner that Sproles is.

"I'm tired of pretending I'm not a rock star from Mars."

by Kuhl on Sep 16, 2011 9:02 PM CDT up reply actions

you are assuming that the Bears will be stopped

I think they’re going to have another barn burner in NO. I don’t know if NO’s blitz package is going to be effective against any team, and they’re weak against the run. The Bears unfurled their “Secret Weapon”, an offensive line so porous that the only possible option is to let the DL through,and get the linemen onto the second tier of defense in screen passes.

N.O. MUST play a base defense and blitz minimally to stop the Bears, but I doubt they’re willing to do that, so Cutler will look like a genius again. Hell, anyone can throw screen passes.

So, although I don’t see New Orleans loosing to the Bears, I also don’t see Chicago punting a whole lot of the time.

In short, Starks has more upside this week. Especially given the fact that they have a higher likelihood of jumping up on the Panthers early, and MM loves to run the game out.

by Nels Winkler on Sep 17, 2011 10:26 AM CDT up reply actions

Pace

I don’t think the Bears offense can hang with the Saints.

Another thing to consider in your fantasy predicament, is whether you get points for return yards.

by StephanL on Sep 17, 2011 10:45 AM CDT up reply actions

If the Bears score a ton like you say

Sproles will be returning KOs… Either way, if you get points for return yardage and/or return TDs, Sproles is definitely the way to go.

"I'm tired of pretending I'm not a rock star from Mars."

by Kuhl on Sep 17, 2011 12:31 PM CDT up reply actions

I don't have Sproles, so

I’m playing Starks (over L. Tomlinson).

"Perfection is not attainable,
but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence."

"It's a great day to be great, baby!"

Skol is a four-letter word.

The Munsters of the Midway still suck!

by NorthStarr on Sep 16, 2011 11:24 PM CDT up reply actions

Starks, for sure. The Bears have one of the best STs units in the league, so I doubt you’ll see a return TD. And I’m sure they’ll play a lot of cover 2 against the Saints like they do to us, which means Sproles will have to make all the underneath guys miss, instead of just beating a LB in man coverage like he kept doing to Hawk.

Carolina’s run D looks pretty average, and I’m sure Starks will have some goaline opportunities.

Fire Slocum

by packallday555 on Sep 17, 2011 12:32 PM CDT up reply actions