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Carolina Panthers: The Cardinals WRs Pose a Challenge

By John Woodcock

Jan 3, 2015; Charlotte, NC, USA; Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald (11) catches a pass over Carolina Panthers middle linebacker Luke Kuechly (59) during the fourth quarter in the 2014 NFC Wild Card playoff football game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 3, 2015; Charlotte, NC, USA; Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald (11) catches a pass over Carolina Panthers middle linebacker Luke Kuechly (59) during the fourth quarter in the 2014 NFC Wild Card playoff football game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports /
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One of the big questions for the Carolina Panthers is how they are going to stop the receiver group of the Arizona Cardinals.

The Carolina Panthers played the Arizona Cardinals last year in the playoffs, but that was a much different game than this one is going to be. The first reason for that the Panthers faced Ryan Lindley at quarterback last year. This year they will be facing Carson Palmer, who like Kurt Warner has found the deserts of Arizona to be the place to reclaim one’s career.

Palmer also has a tandem of receivers to throw to that are significantly more dangerous than the group the Panthers faced this week with the Seahawks. They include veteran Larry Fitzgerald, who has accepted a move inside to the slot and been really effective there as the winning overtime play against Green Bay shows. There is the young and fast John Brown. Then there is the former Mr. Football in Minnesota receiver with prototypical size Michael Floyd.

Given the style of the Carolina Panthers defense, corner Josh Norman will likely receive the assignment of watching Floyd since Fitzgerald will be inside on three wide receiver sets. It is possible that Norman could be put on Brown instead since Brown had the better receiving numbers this season. The point is that the Cardinals have more productive receivers than the Panthers have healthy good cornerbacks.

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This is the game where the Panthers will miss Bene Benwikere and Charles Tillman. Because of that more pressure will come down on Robert McClain and Cortland Finnegan. McClain will be responsible for Brown/Floyd (whomever Norman does not cover).

Finnegan will draw Fitzgerald, and that is the real danger. Finnegan has been playing with the Panthers now for a little while, but the former retiree was not envisioned as a stopper at the Nickelback position. Of course most teams don’t have a slot target like Fitzgerald.

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So look for the Cardinals to go to Fitzgerald early and often. The Panthers will need to help Finnegan out from either the safety position or from the pass rush. The safeties will be a tough play since McClain will likely also need support against Floyd/Brown.

That means the Panthers will need a big effort to force Palmer into doing things earlier than he would want to do them. That could mean interior pressure from Kawann Short or outside pressure from Charles Johnson and whoever mans the spot Jared Allen normally occupies. The Panthers cannot let themselves get into a shootout game with Palmer.

So the wideout weapons of the Cardinals are one of the key matchups in Sunday’s game. Can the Panthers stop three men who all had more than eight hundred yards receiving? The last time the Cardinals brought three receivers like that (2009) was trouble.

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