3 Bold Predictions for Panthers vs Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals are looking to get off to a 2–0 start to this season and have an excellent opportunity against a rebuilding Carolina Panthers team. Unfortunately, Carolina has been the team's kryptonite, making this game anything but I guarantee.

We’re hoping the Cardinals home opener goes well, and I’m going to attempt to predict everything we’re going to see from the game. I have three bold predictions for this game, but a friendly reminder, but that doesn’t mean they’re all benefits to Arizona.

This week’s predictions favor both teams, but a reminder that I have the Cardinals coming out on top 20–17 when it’s all set and done.

That being said, I’m thinking this is again featuring tons of yardage.

Panthers run wild, but Cardinals dominate through the air

The Panthers didn’t have too much trouble running the ball against the Cardinals last year, racking up 243 yards on the ground. The Cardinals did make some major investments to defend the run this year, and they did manage to hold the Saints to 109 rushing yards. However, the average 4.9 yards per carry, and that should have Carolina excited.

On the flipside of things, the Panthers secondary is suspect and even coming off a good performance against the Jaguars… I don’t trust them to stand tall over the course of the season, even with a superstar in Jaycee Horn.

I think each of these teams will be able to find success offensively, just in different ways. I fully expect a strong day from Chuba Hubbard to be countered with another strong Marvin Harrison Jr. performance.

Speaking of Harrison…

Tetairoa McMillan and Marvin Harrison Jr. find the endzone

It was a good start to the season for both young, star receivers on their respective teams, and the fun doesn’t stop there. The Cardinals’ secondary has plenty of talent, but is still working through some things as we saw against Spencer Rattler and the Saints. Rattler didn’t find the end zone, but he was still putting in work.

Bryce Young is still at work in progress and showed as much last week, but his connection with McMillan has been on display in exhibition play to go with a strong week one performance. I’m expecting that connection to continue flourishing as the two find the end zone for the first time.

Of course, I also believe Kyler Murray will counter those efforts as him and Harrison connect for the second straight game. I’m not willing to put a number down on yardage for either team, but I think these big, big-time receivers will make fantasy footballers happy

It’s a sack fest for both teams

It was an unimpressive performance from the Cardinals' offensive line last week, and they’ll have a chance for redemption against a rebuilding Panthers pass rush… But I don’t see it happening. They’re simply too much commotion with the group and they didn’t show me enough to believe that they have settled in yet.

Perhaps more frustrating was Arizona recording a single sack against the Saints, who admittedly have a better offensive line than people are aware of. That’s not the case for the Panthers, and the Cardinals pass rush will be out for blood.

Carolina surrendered a single sack last week, but that won’t be the case this week. Both sides of the coin will struggle with pass protection in this game to infuriate fans on both sides. The good news is seeing girls from Arizona’s pass rush, while the bad news is another week of underachieving offensive line play.

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