The nightmare that was the 2015 season can finally be put in the rearview mirror by the Baltimore Ravens as they begin what is expected to be a run to playoff contention in 2016. The Carolina Panthers saw their last season end on the bad side of a Super Bowl score to Denver and begin their quest for what they hope is a season of redemption.
ODDS
Carolina was one of the top teams ATS last season going 11-5 during the regular year. The Panthers were 2-0 ATS in their two preseason road games and are spotted 1.5 points in the opener. The total opened at 36.5.
QUARTERBACK ROTATION
Carolina’s Cam Newton played two series in last year’s preseason opener and will likely do the same this year. Derek Anderson is the backup and Joe Webb is third on the depth chart. All three quarterbacks threw a touchdown pass in last year’s opener and the snaps will be divvied up among the trio again.
Plenty of questions surround the Ravens as we enter 2016 and the biggest is the health of Joe Flacco. The quarterback had his 2015 season cut short with an ACL injury but has recovered and is showing no effects from the surgery. We’re not sure if Flacco will play in the opener and if he does it will only be for a series or two. It would be a good idea, however, to run him out there against live competition early in the preseason. Backup Ryan Mallett will get some snaps with Josh and Jerrod Johnson left to pick up the crumbs.
COACHES' MOTIVATION
Panthers coach Ron Rivera is fairly certain he knows what can hinder his squad after their remarkable run last season. It’s been 23 years since a team that lost a Super Bowl returned to the next one, and Rivera says the reason why is complacency. Carolina likely won’t come close to replicating its 15-win season from last year and won’t sneak up on anybody.
But the team has all the pieces returning from its Super Bowl runner-up showing last season, and adds receiver Kelvin Benjamin to the mix. After a poor performance against the Broncos in Super Bowl 50, Newton has kept his focus on improving and has dared his teammates to do the same. The Panthers will have to fight a bit harder this season to get back to the Super Bowl, but they are a favorite in the NFC. It’s up to Rivera to push all the right buttons along the way.
QUOTE TO NOTE
“The one thing I found was that people talked about how they didn’t want to be complacent. They kind of let some things slip and slide. I’ve tried to take that away. I’ve tried to make sure we have a sense of urgency. The ultimate goal is to win it, not just to get there but to win it, and we didn’t accomplish that. I think that’s what’s going to drive us.” – Panthers coach Ron Rivera
POSITION BATTLE TO WATCH
The Panthers are looking for new punter and have ex-San Diego Charger Mike Scifres and former Canadian League standout Swayze Waters battling for the job. Neither player has distanced himself in the competition and coach Ron Rivera has said the preseason games will play a big role in determining the team’s punter for 2016.
Scifres might have a leg up in the battle with 13 years of experience in the league. He is coming off knee surgery on his non-kicking leg, an injury that may have led to his down season in 2015. Waters is the 2014 CFL Special Teams Player of the Year. Rivera has not ruled out the possibility of bringing in another kicker to add to the competition.
INJURIES
Ronnie Stanley and Chris Matthews were the latest Ravens to be felled by injuries during camp practice. Stanley, the sixth overall pick in this year’s draft, was working as the team’s starting left tackle and fell victim to what the club called a soft tissue injury. The extent of the injury is not known, but there’s a good chance he misses the preseason opener. Matthews joins Steve Smith, Breshad Perriman and Chris Moore on the teams list of injured receivers. Any time missed could seriously hurt his chances of making the final roster.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
The Panthers have been talking all offseason about washing the bad taste from their Super Bowl loss to Denver in February out of their collective mouths. You can bet once they get on the field that’s what they’re going to do. After what happened last season on the injury-front, there’s a good chance Ravens coach John Harbaugh will be hesitant to give his starters a lot of snaps, if any, in the preseason opener.
NFL Odds: Carolina 26, Baltimore 10
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