Unser Chat » In their last five matchups, the Saints have

Panthers head coach Ron Rivera said earlier this year that the team would like to find a running back who will allow them to lessen Christian McCaffrey‘s workload in 2019.McCaffrey played 91.3 percent of the team’s snaps last season and Rivera said the number of reps is “something we do have to be concerned with” in the future. It’s not a concern that McCaffrey shares with his head coach.“I played in every game last year Carolina Panthers Customized Jerseys , felt great,” McCaffrey said, via ESPN.com. “I can do it again. I feel I can do it over the next many years. … I would definitely like the ball as much as possible. … That’s why I train.”The current running backs behind McCaffrey in Carolina are Cameron Artis-Payne, Elijah Hood and Reggie Bonafon, so the team might not have the player they need to cut back on McCaffrey’s playing time. That may lead to them using one of their seven draft picks on another option in the backfield. The Carolina Panthers 26-20 loss to the Cleveland Browns all but destroyed their hopes for the playoffs. Cam Newton threw for 265 yards (and surpassed 3,000 passing yards for the eighth straight season), but was hindered by his right shoulder. Newton overthrew an open Jarius Wright on 4th and goal at the three yard line with 2:35 left. Then in the final 57 seconds, Newton missed Devin Funchess and was intercepted. Christian McCaffrey Carolina Panthers T-Shirts , per usual, was a bright spot in a dimming Panthers’ offense. He finished the day with two touchdowns runs and 101 total yards. The New Orleans Saints clinched the NFC South for the second straight year after a 28-14 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. With the Saints trailing 14-3 in the 3rd quarter, Taysom Hill provided a momentum-changing blocked punt. After a Drew Brees touchdown and a two-point conversion, the Saints’ defense followed with a pair of sacks. New Orleans consistently applied pressure and recorded their second straight second half shut out. For the first time since 2006, the Saints have held opponents to 17 points or fewer in five consecutive games.After the Panthers’ fifth straight loss, a win over the Saints won’t be an easy feat. If Carolina is to salvage the season and keep any hope alive for the playoffs, here are the three keys for the Panthers offense to outdo the Saints: Panthers must run the ball: It sounds crazy to run the ball against the top run-defending group in the league. However, there aren’t many options that seem to be working in favor of the Panthers as of late. Newton’s throwing arm is clearly hindering his ability to sling the ball downfield. Despite their many woes https://www.carolinapanthersfanshop.com/hats , the Panthers still have the NFL’s No. 2 rushing offense. Newton is still a runner and as always, there’s McCaffrey. Over the last five games, McCaffrey has averaged 84.8 yards on the ground, scoring eight total touchdowns. So whether it seems like a viable option or not, stick to what works and run the ball. Avoid third and long: Since Week 10, the Saints have been strong on third-down conversions. Tied for 10th best, New Orleans has allowed first downs on just 35.6% of third-down plays. Considering Newton is struggling with 20+ yard plays, completing nine of 33 attempts Carolina Panthers Hoodie , depending on the long ball doesn’t seem realistic. It’s crucial for Carolina to pick up yardage wherever they can to avoid third and long. Provide protection: Defensive end Cameron Jordan is having another Pro Bowl-worthy season. He’s totaled a whopping 12 sacks so far this year. Behind him, defensive lineman Sheldon Rankins has eight and rookie Marcus Davenport has four. In their last five matchups, the Saints have forced 12 turnovers as well as 24 sacks. In recent weeks, the Panthers have buckled under pressure and can’t seem to pick up the pieces after turnover situations. With an already injured Newton, it is key for the offensive line to not allow anymore potential harm to his shoulder. Give Newton time to throw to his receivers and make lanes if he must abandon the ball and run. The Panthers will have to depend on themselves for a win. Limiting turnovers and sticking to the run will be key if Carolina is to keep any chance for the playoff alive.