The Carolina Panthers are a team built much in the image of the 2006 Chicago Bears. The only big (okay HUGE) difference is they have quarterback Cam Newton. One can safely say he's an upgrade over Rex Grossman. Well that team gave Chicago an idea of what they could've had if they'd ever found their MVP-caliber quarterback.
Nothing is more enjoyable on the planet for Bears fans these days than watching the Green Bay Packers lose. Watching them lose and likely miss the playoffs? That's practically Nirvana. Well such was the case Sunday. Despite a returning Aaron Rodgers, the Packers knew they were going into a hostile stadium against a good, balanced team.
Early on it became clear that Green Bay's momentum from the two previous weeks didn't mean much. Midway through the first quarter Carolina drove it down the field to inside the Packers 10-yard line. It was there that Newton and longtime Bears nemesis Clay Matthews had a terrific exchange before the snap.
Cam Newton laughs in face of Packers, then throws TD
The best part about that play is Matthews was right. He knew exactly who the ball was going to in running back Christian McCaffrey. What he didn't know, until it was too late of course, was the type of route being run. Film study had told him the Panthers loved to run McCaffrey on a wheel route to the outside. The Panthers, likely known the Packers had seen that, implanted an adjustment where McCaffrey would instead fake the wheel and run an inside slant. The play worked perfectly. McCaffrey was barely touched going into the end zone. It set the tone for the rest of the game, Carolina holding on for a 31-24 victory. Now the Packers are in dire straits. If Atlanta beats Tampa Bay on Monday Night Football, they will officially be eliminated from the playoffs for the first time since 2008.
Loading comments...