Panthers Week 2 X-factor: Bring the pass rush to life vs. Falcons
To get into the win column this season, the Panthers will have to amp up the pressure here in Week 2.
In the upcoming Week 2 matchup between the Atlanta Falcons and the Carolina Panthers, one crucial factor will be the effectiveness of the Panthers' pass rush. The Falcons have announced that Cooper Rush will start the game for the second consecutive week, after his first performance against the Pittsburgh Steelers was not strong. In that game, Rush completed 12 of his 22 passes for 143 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.
For the Panthers, rushing the passer will be of paramount importance, especially given their defensive struggles in that area this season. They had signed edge rusher Jaelan Phillips and inside linebacker Devin Lloyd, both expected to be significant contributors to their pass rush. However, in their Week 1 game against the Chicago Bears, the Panthers' pass rush struggled badly.
Quarterback Caleb Williams managed to escape the Panthers' attempts to pressure him, going on to throw for 65 yards and two touchdowns while being sacked only twice.
The Panthers had better results from their rushers last week against the Bears, with Jaelan Phillips recording one sack and rookie Princely Umanmielen contributing to the other. The remaining Panthers pass rushers—Trevis Gipson and potentially a recovering Pat Jones II—will need to step up their game in order to provide the momentum needed for a Panthers' victory.
If the Panthers' defense can successfully pressure Rush, it could be the key to a crucial win for Carolina.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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