The Patriots Go For Two Out Of Three
Despite their victory in Super Bowl XXXVI after the 2001 season, the Patriots stumbled early in the 2002 season, recorded a 97 regular season record, and failed to make the playoffs.
Then, New England seemed to implode before the 2003 season ever started. Five days before their opening game against the Buffalo Bills, Pro Bowl safety Lawyer Milloy, one of the Patriots’ defensive leaders, was unexpectedly cut by the team after refusing to restructure his contract. The move devastated many of the New England players, while Milloy immediately signed with the Bills two days later. With the Patriots seemingly in emotional disarray, Buffalo defeated New England, 310, with Milloy forcing an interception and recording one sack and five tackles.
However, after a 22 start, the Patriots ended up winning their last 12 games to earn a league-best 142 record.
In the backfield, the team’s rushing game was led by running backs Antowain Smith and Kevin Faulk, who carried the ball equally. Smith was the team’s leading rusher with 642 yards and 3 touchdowns, while Faulk rushed for 638 yards and caught 48 passes for 440 yards.
Washington helped anchor New England’s defensive line, recording 32 tackles and 2 sacks. Pro Bowl defensive tackle Richard Seymour also contributed with 8 sacks. Behind them, the Patriots had 3 outstanding linebackers: Pro Bowl linebacker Willie McGinest , Mike Vrabel , and Tedy Bruschi .
Mac Jones Overcame Two Early Turnovers And Threw For 139 Yards And A Touchdown Jc Jackson Returned One Of Three Sam Darnold Interceptions For An 88
TSN.ca Staff
J.C. Jackson , The Canadian Press
CHARLOTTE. N.C. Mac Jones overcame two early turnovers and threw for 139 yards and a touchdown, J.C. Jackson returned one of three Sam Darnold interceptions for an 88-yard touchdown and the New England Patriots defeated the Carolina Panthers 24-6 on Sunday for their fourth win in the past five games.
Rookie running back Rhamondre Stevenson had 106 yards from scrimmage before leaving the game with a head injury and Damien Harris and Hunter Henry scored touchdowns as the Patriots improved to 4-0 on the road.
Darnold had another miserable outing for Carolina. He finished 16 of 33 for 172 yards with three picks, two of them by Jackson after the Panthers reached the red zone. Darnold has been intercepted nine times and thrown only one touchdown in four career games against the Bill Belichick-coached Patriots.
Unlike two weeks ago, Panthers coach Matt Rhule didn’t bench Darnold despite interceptions on three straight possessions in the second half. As has been the case for most of the year, Darnold spent most of the game under heavy duress after losing starting center Matt Paradis and left tackle Cameron Erving to injuries in the first half.
Even the return of Christian McCaffrey from a five-game absence couldn’t help Carolina’s offense. Christian McCaffrey had 14 carries for 52 yards and caught four passes for 54 yards in his return to the starting lineup.
INJURIES
UP NEXT
Patriots: Host Browns next Sunday.
Ball Security Remains A Weakness
Turnovers continue to be an issue for the Patriots.
Both of New England’s giveaways Sunday came from Jones. He held on to the ball in the pocket a little too long during a first quarter drive, got hit hard and lost the football. The rookie quarterback was intercepted by ex-teammate and Panthers cornerback Stephon Gilmore in the second quarter.
Stephon Gilmore interception against his former team! #KeepPounding
NFL
The Patriots have 14 turnovers through nine games, which is the third-most in the league. New England has lost seven fumbles, second only to the Kansas City Chiefs with nine. The Pats had only 15 turnovers over 16 games during Tom Brady’s final season with the team in 2019.
Luckily for the Patriots, their two turnovers Sunday only resulted in the Panthers scoring six points . Ball security has arguably been the Patriots’ most glaring issue all season, and it’s pretty concerning that little to no improvement has been shown in this area and we’re in November.
Bill Belichick and his coaching staff need to get these mistakes cleaned up ASAP.
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New England Patriots Vs Carolina Panthers: Storylines Prediction For A Super Bowl Rematch
In an important game for both teams, what are the storylines to watch and our prediction for this Patriots vs. Panthers matchup in Week 9?
The last month has completely changed how the prediction of this New England Patriots vs. Carolina Panthers game shapes up. Given Carolinas struggles over the past five weeks, this now looks to be a contest where they could be hanging on as opposed to actually competing. With both teams looking to get back-to-back wins, lets take a look at the storylines for this Super Bowl XXXVIII rematch and make a prediction as the Patriots take on the Panthers in Carolina.
The Panthers Go From 115 To The Super Bowl
The Panthers made their first trip to the Super Bowl after posting a one-win regular season just two years earlier. The franchise was only in their ninth year of existence, joining the league as an expansion team in 1995. In just their second season, they posted a 124 regular season record and advanced to the NFC Championship Game, but lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers 3013 . But from 1997 onward, they had just one non-losing season until they finally suffered through a franchise worst 115 record in 2001, winning only the first game of the regular season against the Minnesota Vikings. After that year, head coach George Seifert was relieved of his duties and replaced by John Fox, former defensive coordinator for the New York Giants who helped lead the Giants to Super Bowl XXXV in 2000.
With John Fox at the helm and the team taking advantage of the free agent market and the salary cap rules, the Panthers improved in 2002, finishing with a 79 record. Then in 2003, they recorded an 115 record and won the NFC South.
On defense, Carolina’s main strength was their defensive line, anchored by defensive ends and Mike Rucker , and Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kris Jenkins . The secondary was led by defensive backs Reggie Howard , Mike Minter , Deon Grant , and Ricky Manning Jr. .
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Sportsnaut: Panthers 17 Patriots 13
Andrew Buller-Russ writes: When Darnold infamously was seeing ghosts on live national TV, he was facing New England. At this point, we dont know if hell be able to suit up after suffering a hit to the head. Either way, the Panthers project to get Christian McCaffrey back this week. The Panthers D will make Mac Jones have a rough day at the office.
Why The Patriots Won
Even as they struggled early on in this game, the Patriots were able to rise to the occasion when they needed to. After two turnovers by the offense in the first half, the New England defense held Carolina to field goals when given short fields. When the offense got the ball back on the ensuing possessions, they were able to go on two separate 75-yard touchdown drives. That type of complementary football helped them overcome those issues in the early portions of the game, which included four penalties in the first quarter alone. In the second half, New England was really able to apply pressure on Darnold and forced interceptions on three possessions in a row. The Patriots’ backfield trio of Harris, Rhamondre Stevenson and Brandon Bolden was also an X factor in the win. That group combined for 146 yards on the ground and a touchdown, while adding five catches for 74 yards.
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Carolina Panthers Betting Analysis
Straight Up – SU, Against the Spread – ATS, Over-Under
- SU: 4-4
- ATS – Home: 2-2
- ATS – Away: 2-2
Christian McCaffrey is hoping to return for this game. Carolinaâs do-it-all running back has been sidelined since Week 3 with a hamstring injury, and that has hurt this offense. McCaffrey is only averaging 3.9 YPC, but he is still the third leading receiver on the Panthers.
The deterioration in Sam Darnoldâs play has been an issue too. He has thrown seven interceptions in the last five games, and he is averaging 5.4 YPA or less in each of Carolinaâs last four games. Darnold is dealing with a concussion and a shoulder injury, and if he canât play then it will be up to P.J. Walker to lead the Panthers.
D.J. Moore has been the only bright spot for this offense. Moore has 50 receptions for 645 yards this season, and no other player has more than 18 receptions or 205 yards on the Panthers. Chuba Hubbard has not been great as a runner or receiver, so Carolina is not as productive with the ball.
Stephon Gilmore canât wait for this week. Gilmore was a two-time First Team All-Pro with the Patriots, and he was the 2019 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Gilmore was traded to Carolina last month, and that has helped make the Panthers one of the best pass defenses in the league. Carolina is allowing 5.9 YPA and 188.9 YPG through the game, and this defense ranks 4th in sack rate.
The New England Patriots have seen the road team won seven of their last eight games.
Top Bet: Patriots 23 Panthers 20
It writes: “The Pats will be dealing with a lesser offense in Week 9 in the form of the Panthers attack that has scored just 22 points in Carolinas last two games. New England just passed the test given to them by the high-flying Chargers offense. The Pats should be able to get things done defensively against the Panthers.”
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Play Picks: Take The Panthers With The Points Against Patriots In Week 9
Brian Sausa writes: :The AFC East and NFC South are matchup this year and in Week 9, the Patriots are going to Carolina to face the new-look Panthers. New England has seen former Jets QB Sam Darnold plenty, but Christian McCaffrey will be the one that Bill Belichick is really planning for. The Patriots offense has been refurbished with some new weapons, so maybe we should expect some fireworks in North Carolina.”
The Fantasy Gods Have Spoken Start
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Player Game Logs Comparison| vs. NE, Sun 1pm EST |
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| FantasyPros | Carolina’s defense is ranked ninth this season with five top-8 games under its belt. Facing rookie Mac Jones at home looks like a winning formula for success, and the Panthers DST should be considered a top-5 option for Week 9. |
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New England Patriots At Carolina Panthers Week 9 Betting Preview
The New England Patriots face the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on Sunday for Week 9 of the NFL. The Patriots started the week as 2.5-point favorites but the spread has since moved to 3.5, leaving the Patriots at -196 and Panthers at +165. The total points line is set at 41.0, with OVER at -110 and UNDER at -110.
- These teams share a 4-4-0 ATS record this season.
- The Patriots have a 4-4-0 O/U record this season . The Panthers have a 2-6-0 O/U record.
Points on the board
- The Patriots are averaging 25.8 points per game this season . Comparatively, the Panthers are averaging only 20.6 .
- Defensively, the Patriots are giving up 20.5 points per game this season , while the Panthers are giving up an average of 19.9 points .
Moving the chains
- With an average of 354.6, the Patriots rank 15th in the league for total yards per game. Comparatively, the Panthers rank 25th with 328.5 yards per game.
- In terms of yards allowed, the Patriots are giving up 352.9 per game this season , an inferior number to the Panthers, who are giving up an average of 295.6 .
Ascendency in the air
- The Patriots have recorded 253.5 passing yards per game this season . Comparatively, the Panthers’ defense has given up 188.9 passing yards per game .
- Meanwhile, the Panthers have recorded 214.0 passing yards per game this season , while the Patriots’ defense has given up 240.1 passing yards per game .
Advantage on the ground
Protecting the ball
First to Score
First Scoring Play
Patriots D/st At Panthers
Fabianos Analysis:
New Englands D/ST was also a huge surprise last week, scoring 13 fantasy points against Justin Herbert and the Chargers. Id activate the Patriots this week, as theyll face a Panthers offense that could have to play backup quarterback P.J. Walker if Sam Darnold is declared inactive.
Patriot Maven Analysis:
The Patriots front seven will need to be the strength of their defense on Sunday. Linebacker Matt Judon and Christian Barmore must find a way to put pressure on either quarterback Sam Darnold, or P.J. Walker . Should they succeed in doing so, as was the case against Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers in Week Eight, the Pats defense may earn some fantasy points. However, cornerback J.C. Jackson has missed notable practice time this week with an illness. Should he be less than 100 percent, the Pats secondary may have its hands full in Week Nine.
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New England Patriots Offensive Line Has To Control The Game
This is a key to every game. How the offensive line goes, so goes the Patriots and every other team in the NFL or anywhere else for that matter.
The O-line is the determining factor each and every Sunday. If they pass-block well, Mac Jones and his super-accurate throwing will carve up a defense, his lack of top wide receivers notwithstanding.
If the offensive line run-blocks well, they will open holes for lead-back Damien Harris and the other backs.
Hopefully, Rhamondre Stevenson who should be their short-yardage guy, if they ever decide to run again in short-yardage, will be active. Hes also about to break a big run loose but he cant if hes not playing.
The offensive line also controls the clock with a good running game. That keeps the ball out of the hands of the Panthers offense. It also keeps the Patriots defense fresh.
So there are three possible keys to the game Sunday against Carolina. What do you think are the three keys to the game?
New England Patriots Vs Carolina Panthers Storylines To Watch
This game will have one extra storyline if Sam Darnold who is questionable with a shoulder injury is able to play. In a Monday Night Football game against the Patriots in 2019, Darnold was infamously seen on the sideline saying he was seeing ghosts in New Englands defense and pressure packages.
Any time we see Darnold on the field against the Patriots, that moment will be brought up. Can Belichick and the Patriots have Darnold second-guessing himself again?
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Darnold Seeing Ghosts Again
The Patriots are Sam Darnold’s kryptonite.
The Panthers quarterback left last week’s win over the Atlanta Falcons with a concussion but was healthy enough to start against the Patriots. It might have been a better decision to start backup P.J. Walker instead.
Edelman trolls Darnold as QB’s nightmares against Pats continue
Darnold completed 16 of 33 pass attempts for just 172 yards with zero touchdowns and three interceptions. His second interception was returned 88 yards for a touchdown by Patriots cornerback J.C. Jackson, which put New England up 21-6 in the third quarter:
Mr. INT Mr. TD
New England Patriots
Darnold’s career stats versus the Patriots are putrid. He’s winless with a 53.19 completion percentage, one touchdown and nine interceptions in four games. Darnold’s teams have been outscored by 100 points in those four matchups.
Ouch.
The Panthers’ decision to trade Teddy Bridgewater to the Denver Broncos and then acquire Darnold from the Jets via trade continues to look worse each week. Carolina would have a legit chance at being an NFC Wild Card team with Bridgewater at quarterback. The postseason is not a realistic target for the Panthers with Darnold at the helm.
Patriots At Panthers Odds Spread And Lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook access USA TODAY Sports betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Saturday at 11:25 p.m. ET.
- Money line: Patriots -190 | Panthers +155
- Against the spread : Patriots -3.5 | Panthers +3.5
- Over/Under : 41.5
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Panthers Stats And Trends
- Carolina has four wins against the spread in eight games this year.
- This season, the Panthers have one against the spread win in two games as an underdog of 3 points or more.
- Carolina’s games this season have hit the over on two of eight set point totals .
- The Panthers rack up 20.6 points per game, comparable to the 20.5 the Patriots surrender.
- Carolina is 2-2 against the spread and 2-2 overall in games when it scores more than 20.5 points.
- The Panthers rack up 328.5 yards per game, 24.4 fewer yards than the 352.9 the Patriots give up.
- When Carolina churns out over 352.9 yards, the team is 3-1 against the spread and 3-1 overall.
- This season the Panthers have 12 turnovers, one fewer than the Patriots have takeaways .
