CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Panthers have already been eliminated from the playoffs. The Arizona Cardinals are waiting…
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Panthers have already been eliminated from the playoffs.
The Arizona Cardinals are hanging by a thread.
The teams meet Sunday in Carolina, with Arizona essentially needing to win, while also getting some help elsewhere in the NFC. The Cardinals (7-7) ended a three-game streak last week with a 30-17 victory against the New England Patriots and are one game behind the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks in the NFC West with three remaining.
The problem for the Cardinals is that they have already lost twice to the Seahawks.
They beat the Rams earlier this year and will face them again next week in Los Angeles. Winning the division is Arizona’s easiest path to the playoffs, although the NFL calculates its chances of making the playoffs at just 13 percent.
In the meantime, the Panthers, losers of four straight games, wait.
“I’m very confident that it’s not a trap game because, mentally, that could never be a thing because of where we are,” Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray said. “Our backs are against the wall, we understand that. I think that for it to be a trap game, our record would have to be better. You should not feel humble. We understand what’s at stake and we understand it’s every week for us, so we have to play our best on the road.
Carolina (3-11) finds itself in a familiar situation, starring in a sixth straight double-digit losing season under owner David Tepper.
“We’re always looking to capture our style of football: high effort, high enthusiasm, with our guys celebrating each other,” first-year Panthers coach Dave Canales said. “I’ve seen it grow.”
Young and restless
Bryce Young is coming off a tough game in which the second-year QB turned the ball over a career-high four times. in a 30-14 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Young was sacked six times and fumbled twice while trying to escape the pressure in the pocket.
“Every play is important, and especially when you start extending plays and defenders are looking for those opportunities to know when those things happen, you go to the floor in a vulnerable spot, we have to cover it with both hands,” Canales said said about Young, who is 4-21 as an NFL starter. “When you’re in the pocket, keeping both hands on it, and it’s everywhere, we talk about the ball first and foremost as a team. If you have the ball, you keep it for the whole team.
Arizona forced 14 turnovers.
Linebacker mix
The Cardinals have been relatively healthy over the past month, but that changed early last week against New England, when starting LBs Jesse Luketa (thigh) and Mack Wilson Sr. (concussion) left at the start of the first quarter and did not return.
Arizona was able to rebuild the unit against the Patriots, using backups, including Krys Barnes, to fill in the gaps. Luketa and Wilson did not practice at the start of the week, meaning Barnes, Xavier Thomas, Owen Pappoe and Julian Okwara may have to step up their efforts.
Develop a connection
Cardinals rookie wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. had a solid first season, but the Murray-Harrison connection appears capable of more.
Murray threw two potential TD passes to Harrison against the Patriots, but they were both batted away by talented young New England cornerback Christian Gonzalez. They were both tough catches, but Harrison should probably make at least one if he wants to become an elite NFL receiver. Harrison has 47 catches for 687 yards and seven touchdowns this season.
Development of coking
The Panthers also have rookie receivers this season, but they will be without Xavier Legette on Sunday due to a groin injury.
Jalen Coker, who had a career-high 110 receiving yards with an 83-yard touchdown catch against the Cowboys, is expected to start opposite veteran Adam Thielen despite being limited in practice Thursday with a quad injury. The undrafted rookie out of Holy Cross said he first realized he could play at this level when he beat a few cornerbacks off the line of scrimmage and created separation in training camp.
Since then, the team has been proud of him.
Stop the race
The Panthers have allowed nearly 200 rushing yards per game over their last six games.
That bodes well for Arizona’s James Connerwho has just had his best match of the season. He ran for 110 yards and two touchdowns against the Patriots.
“He can really do anything,” Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon said. “He can run wide zone, he can run inside zone, he can run gap shots, and he can do it with a pistol, underhand, with a pistol.”
Last week, the Panthers allowed Rico Dowdle to rush for a career-high 149 yards after giving up 124 yards to Philadelphia’s Saquon Barkley and 156 yards to Tampa Bay’s Bucky Irving the previous two weeks. The Panthers lost linebackers Claudin Cherelus (toe) and Trevin Wallace (shoulder) to season-ending injuries in Week 15, which won’t help the run defense.
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AP Sports Writer David Brandt contributed to this report.
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