Believe or not, there was some talk about the Carolina Panthers being 2022’s version of the 2021 Cincinnati Bengals. But, at 2-6, it may be safe to assume they won’t be surprising anyone en route to a conference title game this winter.
Regardless, the Week 9 matchup between these cats do have some intriguing storylines. So, let’s check them out.
An actual offense?
Don’t look now—but after a particularly miserable start to the 2022 campaign, the Panthers may now have an actual offense.
Through the first six outings of the season, the seemingly directionless unit helped produce a mere 13.7 points per game. In fact, the defense was just about on their heels in end zone visits—as they scored three touchdowns to the offense’s seven over that span.
The last two performances, however, have seen an encouraging uptick led by quarterback PJ Walker. Carolina averaged 29.0 points between Weeks 7 and 8, and even hit the 30-point mark for the first time since Week 10 of 2021.
Wide receiver DJ Moore has woken up as well under Walker. The fifth-year, who totaled just 207 receiving yards in those first six games, has collected 221 with a pair of scores in these last two.
Oh, and they’ve also gotten a huge boost from this dude . . .
The frontman
Although he’s been a backup singer for the majority of his NFL career, D’Onta Foreman has had no qualms in taking up lead vocals—particularly over the last two years.
He did it for Derrick Henry and the Tennessee Titans last season, logging 566 yards and three scores over 133 attempts. And now, he’s done it this season with Christian McCaffrey gone and Chuba Hubbard on the mend, hitting 236 yards on just 41 carries between Weeks 7 and 8.
Foreman will have a decent enough matchup against the Cincinnati defense, which has allowed a middling 4.4 yards per attempt thus far.
Gettin' fiesty with Joe Shiesty
Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is having a pretty nice 2022 . . . if you completely forget about the amount of punishment he’s taken.
Through eight games, the third-year passer has been sacked a total of 29 times—which is just two off of Justin Fields’ league-high. But what he does lead the league in is sacks yards lost, as he and the Cincinnati offense sit at a bulky 196 heading into Week 9.
With this offensive line still proving to be a major weakness for the Bengals, and the absence of star wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase sure to factor in, the Panthers could have an opportunity to pounce on Burrow and turn this game on its head.
