PLAYER NOTES
–WR Torrey Smith suffered an injured knee when he hit the ground hard late in the game at Philadelphia. His fourth-down catch and subsequent run kept the game-winning drive alive. His status for the Baltimore game looks shaky. He wasn’t on the practice field Wednesday.
–DE Mario Addison (lower back) could be questionable this week. He worked out on the side during Wednesday’s practice session.
–LB Thomas Davis was poked in the eye, thus causing his late-game absence in Philadelphia. He returned to the game, and there haven’t been lingering problems from that this week.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: TE Greg Olsen. He wasn’t a big part of the production against Philadelphia in his second game back following a broken foot. But he made the game-winning touchdown catch and that could catapult him toward more production. That marked his first points in three games this season. With 54 career touchdowns, he ranks tied for 12th in NFL history for receiving touchdowns among tight ends.
GAME PLAN: The Panthers will look for a quicker start, and much of that falls on the offense. The inability to sustain first-half drives has put the team in holes the past two weeks. The rushing attack has almost become predictable with running back Christian McCaffrey and quarterback Cam Newton, though the Panthers have used a few receiver runs to rack up some yards. Expect something in the strategy to spark the offense early in this game.
The defense has produced a better pass rush and that is allowing more freedom for linebackers. The Panthers are still concerned about the back end as players adjust to roles, so keeping the pressure up at the line of scrimmage is crucial.
MATCHUPS TO WATCH
–Panthers WR Devin Funchess vs. Ravens CBs Brandon Carr and Marlon Humphrey. The Panthers would like Funchess to be a go-to weapon down the field and he shows signs of becoming that dependable receiver. He has a team-leading three touchdown receptions this season, including one in each of the past two weeks. Carr is a veteran in the secondary for Baltimore, while Humphrey is a second-year player still trying to prove himself as offenses test his side of the field.
–Panthers pass rushers vs. Ravens LT Ronnie Staley. The Panthers have picked up the tempo on the pass rush the past couple of games despite trailing for large chunks against the Redskins and Eagles. With a total of seven sacks in those two games combined, one of the team’s strengths is starting to show. That included DE Julius Peppers’ fourth-down strip-sack that clinched the outcome in Philadelphia. Staley is a third-year pro who has been steady, but he’ll face some veterans along the Carolina front and those guys will be anxious to get up close to QB Joe Flacco.
