Arizona Cardinals vs

Carolina Panthers Prediction

Carolina Panthers Preview

It will be a battle of young quarterbacks Sunday in Carolina, as the 2-1 Arizona Cardinals travel east to face the 1-2 Panthers. Second-year Cardinals QB and 2019 Rookie of the Year Kyler Murray has looked great so far this season, dazzling with both his arm and his legs. The 23-year old was positioned to keep the Cardinals undefeated against the Lions last Sunday, but Detroit battled back for two late field goals to pull off the four-point upset win. Teddy Bridgewater, meanwhile, struggled a bit in Carolina’s first two games, but the 27-year old looked good in a comeback effort against the Los Angeles Chargers. This should be an exciting game showcasing two of the more athletic signal callers in the game, but their defenses are vastly different.

In his first year as a Panther, Bridgewater has been good but not spectacular so far. He has maintained a strong 74 percent completion rate, but has only tossed two touchdowns to his two interceptions. His favorite receiver has been fellow offseason acquisition Robby Anderson, who has caught 20 of the 23 balls Bridgewater has thrown his way for 278 yards and a touchdown. But his connection with D.J. Moore has not been as fruitful. The skilled 23-year old has only hauled in 14-of-26 targets (53.8% catch rate) for 239 yards, and he has yet to find pay dirt.

The loss of Christian McCaffrey to an ankle injury—likely sidelining the All-Pro for multiple games—has obviously hurt Bridgewater and the Panthers immensely. Backup running back Mike Davis has been good in his stead, accruing 91 all-purpose yards and eight total catches in Week 3. But it’s impossible to replace CMC’s production. The 24-year old stud logged 1,387 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground last season, which is superb on its own. But his 116 receptions for 1,005 yards (both league leaders among NFL RBs) and four touchdown grabs set him apart from the rest of the league’s backs.

Carolina, meanwhile, has been putrid defensively. They give up 382.3 yards per game, tenth-most in the league, and 258.3 yards passing yards (ninth-most). They have also allowed 2.3 rushing touchdowns per game, easily the most in the NFL. They will have their hands full with Murray, Hopkins, running back Kenyan Drake, and company.

Arizona Cardinals Preview

Murray has been very impressive so far in 2020, avoiding the dreaded sophomore slump many Rookie of the Year quarterbacks have experienced in the past. He has passed for 786 yards and four touchdowns this season, while completing 66.4 percent of his passes. He does have five interceptions on the young season, but he has more than made up for that with his legs. The 2018 Heisman Award winner has 187 yards rushing, and his four touchdowns and 7.2 yards per rush both lead the league.

Not surprisingly, Murray has developed a particularly strong chemistry with DeAndre Hopkins. The young tandem has enjoyed an 86.4 percent completion rate, missing on only five passes. Hopkins leads the league with 32 receptions, 356 receiving yards, and 118.7 yards per game. Their connection has opened up opportunities for other Cardinals receivers as well, like second-year UMass product Andy Isabella, who caught two touchdowns last week, and elder statesman Larry Fitzgerald, who has caught 12-of-15 targets in his 17th season.

Arizona’s advantage in this game will be more than just the quarterback matchup. The Cardinals defense has also been solid, including a devastating pass rush and elite secondary. Arizona has already racked up 11 sacks, and seven different Cardinals have at least one. Draft picks Isaiah Simmons (LB) and Dre Kirkpatrick (CB) have fit defensive coordinator Vance Joseph’s system well, stepping right into productive roles. Speaking of productivity, Budda Baker might be the most active safety in the NFL. He has played 98.6 percent of defensive snaps, and registered 22 solo tackles through three games.

Full Game Prediction

The Panthers do not have the defense to slow down Arizona’s high-octane offense, and they will likely also not have enough to keep up offensively. The Cardinals flat-out have the better quarterback, as well as the best wide receiver in the game, and a more complete and efficient defensive unit. Go with the Cardinals -4.5, and under 50.5.