Semi-coherent Philadelphia Eagles vs. Carolina Panthers preview

And now, the Mark Sanchez era begins.

With Nick Foles scheduled to be out of action for the next 6-8 weeks, Sanchez will be the team’s quarterback for the forseeable future.

Sanchez has plenty of experience in the NFL, so at the very least, he shouldn’t be overwhelmed by the job. That’s a good thing because his first test will be under a national spotlight as the Eagles take on the Carolina Panthers on Monday Night Football.

Carolina Panthers

Record: 3-5-1 (1-2-1 road)

Head coach: Ron Rivera (28-28-1)

Last week: Lost to New Orleans 28-10

The last time they met

When the Panthers visited the Eagles in November 2012, the Eagles’ season had already spiraled out of control. They entered the game on a six-game losing streak, and were missing their starting quarterback and running back.

. Image Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Surprisingly, behind backups Nick Foles and Bryce Brown, the Eagles gave the Panthers a decent fight. Brown had 178 rushing yards, and his second touchdown in the third quarter gave the Eagles a 22-21 lead.

But like most games that season, the Eagles couldn’t find a way to come away with a win. Thanks in part to two fumbles by Brown, the Panthers scored ten unanswered points in the fourth quarter and escaped with a 31-22 win.

What’s the deal with the Panthers?

After a 2013 season that saw them win the NFC South, hopes were high for the Panthers in 2014. Many pundits expected the team – and quarterback Cam Newton – to take a step forward and be a legitimate Super Bowl contender.

While that might still happen, early on, the Panthers seem closer to missing the playoffs than to making it to the Super Bowl.

. image Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

Perhaps we should have been skeptical of the Panthers after they had several talented players leave this past offseason. Steve Smith, Brandon LaFell, and Ted Ginn were just some of the many players who became ex-Panthers. That’s a lot of talent to replace, and the Panthers didn’t do an adequate job of replacing it. (Not to disparage Jason Avant, but he’s certainly no Steve Smith.)

The depleted Panthers are currently on a four-game winless streak (they tied a game!) and haven’t really excelled at any aspect of the game. On defense, they’re 24th in yards allowed and 25th in points allowed. On offense, they’re 25th in yards per game and 25th in points scored.

However, the Panthers will benefit from extra rest this week. They get to play a Monday night game following a Thursday night game, providing the team with what amounts to a mini-bye week.

Featured Panthers player: Jonathan Stewart

You might think that due to having a mobile quarterback in Cam Newton, the Panthers would be among the leaders in team rushing. But despite Newton’s 257 yards, the Panthers still rank only 20th in that category.

. image Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Taking a look at the Panthers’ roster, it soon becomes clear why they rank so low.

I find it baffling that in 2014, Jonathan Stewart is the Panthers’ leading rusher. Stewart has been on the Panthers since 2008, which is a long time for a guy who has never really established himself as a top running back. Despite his longevity, he only has one 1,000 yard season under his belt. (And it doesn’t look like 2014 is going to be number two.)

Of course, Stewart’s numbers have never been that good because he’s spent most of his career paired with DeAngelo Williams. At one time, that tandem was considered one of the best in the league.

Rest assured, that time is not now. At this stage of their careers, neither back put much fear into the heart of opposing coaches.

I realize that in the modern NFL the running back position has been de-prioritized, but it hardly seems like the Panthers are even trying by trotting those two out there.

Reason to hate the Panthers

Let’s see…a reason to hate the Panthers….

Unfortunately, Ricky Manning, Jr. – like every other member of the 2003 NFC Championship team – is no longer on the Panthers’ roster. So it’s tough to say this is a chance for revenge.

The Panthers employ an ex-Eagle, but that ex-Eagle happens to be a pretty good guy. Jason Avant might have had his weaknesses (like how he immediately fell down after 90% of his catches) but there’s certainly no reason not to wish the guy well.

Looking at the Panthers’ coaching staff, I finally found a reason to dislike them: Their defensive coordinator is Sean McDermott.

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If you recall, McDermott was a longtime Eagles assistant coach who was elevated to defensive coordinator in 2009 after the passing of Jim Johnson. Following the legendary Johnson would have been a tough task for anyone, but McDermott certainly didn’t distinguish himself.

The Eagles thought they could do better. They fired him despite not having an obvious replacement in mind. This ultimately ended up in Juan Castillo being named defensive coordinator.

Naturally, McDermott moved on to the Panthers and was named the Sporting News’ Coordinator of the Year in 2013.

Had McDermott proven that competent when he was here, the Eagles probably wouldn’t have been such a disaster in 2011 and 2012. So we can place a large part of the blame for those seasons on him. (And Andy Reid. Let’s not forget to blame him.)

Key Eagles storyline: Enter the backups

There’s an old saying in the NFL that a backup is only one play away from being a starter. The Eagles have proven that this season as they’ve suffered a good number of injuries that have forced several backups into service.

Instead of Nick Foles, Todd Herremans, and DeMeco Ryans, we’re going to get the likes of Mark Sanchez, Matt Tobin, and either Casey Matthews or Emmanuel Acho.

Will the backups be able to play as well as the starters did? Probably not. They key is that they have to adequately do their jobs and hope the other top-level players on the team can compensate.

So far, the injuries haven’t hurt the Eagles, but it isn’t a given that will continue in the second half. Backups will often play well at first, but as opposing coaches get more looks at them, their weaknesses become exposed.

If the 2014 Eagles are going to continue to succeed, they need their backups to avoid becoming liabilities.

Disney song that relates to this week’s game

The Eagles have shown that a backup might be called upon at any moment. Therefore, it’s important for the backups to always “Be Prepared:”

Elsewhere in the NFL

We’re halfway through the season and no team has established themselves as the team to beat. Right now it looks like the favorites to make the Super Bowl are the Cardinals and Patriots, but does anyone really think that’s the game we’ll end up seeing?

Maybe some team can assert themselves in the second half, but for right now, things appear to be as open as they’ve ever been.

QB Controversy Meter

With Nick Foles out, it seems foolish to continue the Foles-o-Meter. Instead, we’re going to measure the potential quarterback controversy between Foles and Sanchez.

Any time a backup quarterback enters the game, there is potential for a controversy. Considering Foles’ uneven play before his injury, it isn’t hard to envision Sanchez capturing the hearts of Eagles fans.

Of course, that depends on Sanchez playing well. For right now, mostly due to his uneven history, most fans are adopting a “wait and see” approach to Sanchez.

Prediction

Sanchez didn’t wow me last week, and as I’ve mentioned before, I’m always a bit skeptical when it comes to a backup seeing his second week of action.

But the Eagles’ running game has been clicking lately. That alone will take a great deal of pressure off of Sanchez.

DeMeco Ryans‘ absence will eventually be felt, but I don’t think it happens this week. The Panthers don’t have the type of running game that can exploit his absence.

It’s possible that Cam Newton goes off an singlehandedly wins the game for the Panthers. But assuming the Eagles can keep him in check, they should be able to prevail.

Eagles 26 – Panthers 20