Carolina Panthers: Key players to watch against Washington Redskins

Julius Peppers

While the Panthers rank near the bottom in the league in passing yards allowed, another stat they are struggling in is getting pressure on the opposing quarterback. The Panthers defense has primarily been known for this and finished third in sacks last year, averaging over three sacks per game.

This season though they rank 24th with only nine sacks through the first four games. The team could use a spark in this category and they may need a spark from the franchise’s all-time leading sack leader, Julius Peppers.

The 17-year veteran has failed to register his first sack of the year and his streak of 10 straight years with at least seven sacks looks to be in jeopardy.

If the Panthers can find a way to get pressure on Alex Smith, which isn’t easy as the Redskins have allowed only nine sacks on the year, this could certainly help the secondary. The more uncomfortable the Panthers can make Smith in the pocket, it should speed up his internal clock and force him to get rid of the ball earlier than he would like which could lead to mistakes.