Depending on which side of the fairytale you are rooting for, Baltimore wide receiver Steve Smith will either catch 10 passes for 200 yards and three touchdowns Sunday or he will get shut out entirely.
The truth is out there, somewhere in the middle. I expect Smith to make a few big plays Sunday, and I bet the Ravens will throw him a flanker screen sometime in the first series or two to make sure he gets into the game quickly. I wouldn't be surprised if he scores once and does something entertaining that draws a 15-yard flag in the end zone.
But ultimately this game is going to be decided in the trenches, where Carolina lost the Pittsburgh game badly and where it absolutely has to improve in terms of running the ball and stopping the run Sunday. The Panthers absolutely have to close the gap between what they are rushing for this year (72 yards per game) and what they ran for last year (127).
-- Both teams have been very reluctant to discuss their obvious similarity besides No.89 this week. The Ravens and Panthers have taken turns at the epicenter of the NFL's domestic violence earthquake. And both teams have lost one of their best players -- Ray Rice for Baltimore and Greg Hardy for Carolina -- due to nasty off-field events.
-- If Carolina is going to win Sunday, linebacker Luke Kuechly is going to need to make at least one game-changing play. I thought the Pittsburgh game was one of the worst he has ever played for the Panthers.
-- After correctly picking the Panthers in the first two games of the season, I botched it last week just like Carolina did and incorrectly chose Carolina to beat the Steelers. A win on the road over a playoff-bound Baltimore team that blasted the Steelers by 20 points is a tough sell for me, and ultimately I'm not buying. My prediction: Baltimore 23, Carolina 14.
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9 years ago
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The Panthers never plays well as a favorite, like last week. But they always seems to execute smoothly and play above their heads when everything's against them. There's plenty this week- Smith, the away crowd, the stench of last week's loss, the matchup issues (run game/stopping the run)... They're not untalented to not do something about it. Panthers 20. Ravens 16, in a surprise.
Carolina will bounce back in this game, last week is over with. Time to move on. I like Carolina in this game, pay back for the embarrassment!
I agree Scott. This year we are a paper tiger
It seems to me that the Panthers relish the chance to embarrass themselves on primetime TV!
Can you please tell me why the Panthers don't move Charles Johnson around on the D-Line. I mean if hes going to consistently gets double teamed in the absence of Hardy, why not shift him when the H-back or TE motion to his side. Hes being paid a ridiculous amount of money and as far as I know he only has a couple of tackles and no sacks. This week the Ravens are starting a Rookie Tackle and if were me I'd have Johnson on him as much as possible.
It will be a tough victory for the CATS
CATS will win a close one
I pick Carolina to win because I know they can stop the run. They just got blindsided a little bit and I look forward for a much better game
Carolina will bounce back if Derek Anderson is a QB. Cam needs to heal and the Panthers brass needs to decide if they are going to let Cam play quarterback in his style. Cam is not a pocket passer. He never has been and probably never will. The Steelers tried this with Kordell Stewart and basically ended his career. I think Cam operates under the notion that it is harder to hit a moving target. Cam can move...let him.
While last week was an aberration for the Panthers D, it was also an aberration for Pittsburgh. That's quite a turnaround in 10 days for them. A few years ago, the Steelers fired a doctor to appear to be 'taking action' toward a steroid scandal. Could anybody find out if they rehired that doctor?
Ravens are dealing with both offensive and defensive injuries In key positions. The Panthers looked good in the first two games and except for some untimely fumbles were in the Steelers game. Unfortunately, with the hard nosed Ravens team you can look for Carolina to turn the ball over at least twice and Cam will be sacked no less than 4 times. Close, but no cigar. Ravens with 4 fgs by Tucker and 2 TD's for a 26-23 win for the Ravens.
Yep Carolina bounces back this week, in a close one, 20-17.
blow out
50-0 Ravens
YOU REALLY UNDERESTIMATED STEVE SMITH..WAKE UP
Fans and media are so fickle. Smitty plays one game like we haven't seen for years and if he was a Panther he would not have had all that gusto. Steve was used to being a "one and done" guy. Dropped balls and slow on his routes. Worse was the talking and causing fights.
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