Cardinals vs. Panthers Week 4 Preview

Quick-Hitters

• Matt Rhule got his first win as an NFL head coach last week when the Carolina Panthers defeated the Los Angeles Chargers 21-16.

• Kyler Murray threw three interceptions in a losing effort against the Detroit Lions (26-23). The Arizona Cardinals are now 2-1.

• Arizona (-170) is favored by 3.5 points over Carolina (+145) with the over/under set at 51.5 total points. CLICK HERE FOR LIVE GAME ODDS!
  

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Improving Carolina Defense

After a couple of disheartening losses, Matt Rhule got his first win as an NFL head coach last week. Statistically, the Carolina Panthers were out-played, but they benefited from a +4 turnover margin to beat the Los Angeles Chargers 21-16. The win put an end to a 10-game losing streak for Carolina that dates back to last year and puts the Panthers just a game back in the NFC South.

Don’t let the 21 points that the Panthers scored fool you because they actually had just one touchdown, not three. The Panthers kicked five field goals last week, all coming from 31 yards or less. That means the Carolina offense had a world of trouble inside the red zone. Naturally, things are a lot more difficult without Christian McCaffrey, as the Panthers managed just 81 yards rushing against the Chargers. Teddy Bridgewater was solid, completing 22-of-28 passes, but without their lead rusher and a prototypical red-zone target, the Carolina offense is limited these days.

On the other hand, the Panthers defense played better last week after a couple of disastrous games early on. However, the 16 points they gave up is a little misleading. The Panthers forced four turnovers, but also allowed over 400 yards of offense, including 330 yards passing from rookie quarterback Justin Herbert. Obviously, there are positives to build off of, but the jury is still out on the Carolina defense putting a poor start behind them.

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Youthful Signs From Murray

The Arizona Cardinals dream start ended abruptly last week when they let a fourth quarter lead slip away against the Detroit Lions. Wins over the San Francisco 49ers and the Washington Football Team early in the year had the Cardinals looking like a contender. Last week’s loss brings them back down to earth a bit, especially in a division in which the Seattle Seahawks are 3-0 and every other team is 2-1.

Quarterback Kyler Murray is posting impressive numbers and is menacing defenses with his legs. However, his youth and inexperience are still there in the form of five interceptions in three games. Against Detroit, Murray threw three picks, which helped to negate his three touchdowns (two passing, one rushing). On the bright side, the Arizona offense continues to have high upside with DeAndre Hopkins serving as their top receiver and Kenyan Drake providing a stable running game. Murray needs to do a better job of limiting his turnovers.

Defensively, the Cardinals continue to be solid and much-improved from a year ago. Arizona’s defense has already racked up 11 sacks in three games with seven different players contributing. If not for the three turnovers from Murray last week, the Arizona defense would have allowed fewer than 26 points against the Lions.

Game Expectations

This has the making of a competitive and intriguing game. The key will be the Carolina defense, which either needs to keep Murray contained or force multiple turnovers like they did a week ago. The Panthers can’t assume that points will come easy as long as McCaffrey is out. That means they have to force a low-scoring game against the Cardinals to give themselves a chance to win their second in a row.