It won't be raining inside the Superdome on Sunday, but it's currently pouring on the Carolina Panthers.
Already reeling with a 1-4 record, the defending NFC champs will have neither of their top two cornerbacks against the league's second-ranked passing attack.
Rookie James Bradberry was already set to miss his second straight game with turf toe, and on Wednesday, Robert McClain's hamstring flared up. The Panthers hoped it was just tightness, but on Friday, they ruled him out. That leaves Teddy Williams and rookies Daryl Worley and Zack Sanchez as the only healthy corners on the roster.
When asked how the Panthers planned to piece together their secondary against the Saints, coach Ron Rivera said:
"You deal with it. It's what we have. We've got to line up and play, so we'll show up and play. There's nothing we can do about that."
So Worley will make another start on the outside across from either Sanchez or Williams. And when the Panthers go into their nickel package, which they'll likely use for the majority of the game, they'll slide Sanchez or Colin Jones into the slot.
The Panthers are also "leaning" toward promoting Lou Young from the practice squad, according to Rivera. A victim of final cuts, Young was re-signed this week, and he can play inside or outside.
Young has never played in a regular-season game, and of the Panthers' three other corners, Worley has the most experience. He's played 174 defensive snaps so far his rookie season. Williams, who's mostly a special-teams player, has seen 61 defensive snaps in his five years as a pro. And Sanchez was in for 14 plays during his NFL debut Monday night.
With such a thin secondary, why don't the Panthers at least add an available veteran like Antonio Cromartie?
"There's really nothing there," Rivera said. "That's part of the problem.
"There were a couple guys that were released and you talk about them, but they get picked up on waivers."
So for better or worse, the Panthers are rolling to New Orleans with who they've got. Meanwhile, the Saints will counter with the league's No. 6 offense led by quarterback Drew Brees, who's thrown 27 touchdown passes in his past seven games in the Superdome.
"Drew puts his clothes on the same way we do — one leg at a time with his pants, one arm at a time with his shirt," Williams said. "The competitor in you that you've always had since you were a little kid, you go out and you want to compete against the best. So lining up across from him and seeing him over there, it makes you happy.
"You're anxious to go and get that first hit, get that first play and keep it rolling. It makes you excited."
But will it still be exciting after facing Brees and Co. for three-plus hours? We'll see on Sunday.
Ugh… this is going to be brutal.
Might as well leave shaq in the whole game. good grief. Hope the pass rush decides to show up Sunday.
You find out what you have on this team. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/da3e89d60dffaf83a7b9a15f9b83ec273f81525a98045ad07fc996ec7d0c7f62.jpg
I just don’t get why the front office doesn’t pick up the phone and call for Antonio Cromartie, Dee Milliner, and Melvin White. Veteran experience, the chance to revive a young player who should have potential, and someone who is familiar with the system.
This defense needs to get better and in a hurry if we want to save this season.
this season is on Dave Gettlemen alone no one else FIRE Gettlemen
Ewww
This season is a twilight zone worthy story.
Face it: the panthers have already given up this season and are focused on “what they have” for next season. Don’t expect Newton to play. Why risk further injury to the franchise QB on a lost season. We haven’t seen this level of suckitude since the Jimmy Clausen days. Oh, don’t kid yourselves though! We will still manage to go 7-9. You know…just to make sure we won’t get anything decent with our first round pick next draft. The problem is: the window is not only closing on the season, it’s also closing on our playoff (forget super bowl) chances to. We are virtually in a rebuilding mode already. Sad. We have wasted Cam Newton’s career.