Inside the Numbers: Panthers vs Jets

Breaking down the 2021 season opener between the Panthers and Jets.

The Carolina Panthers host the New York Jets in the 2021 season opener at Bank of America Stadium in Uptown Charlotte this Sunday with kickoff set for 1 p.m. EST on CBS.

Both franchises are in a very similar position - the early stages of a rebuild. What can we expect to see when these two square off? Let's dive in. 

When the Panthers have the ball

Panthers Offense	Stats	Jets Defense
349.5 (21st)	Total Yards Per Game/Allowed	387.6 (32nd)
106.5 (21st)	Rushing Yards Per Game/Allowed	112.0 (12th)
4.2 (22nd)	Rushing Yards Per Attempt/Allowed	4.0 (7th)
243.0 (18th)	Passing Yards Per Game/Allowed	275.6 (28th)
36 (T-17th)	Sacks Allowed/Sacks	31 (T-20th)
39.0 (25th)	3rd Down Efficiency	44.6 (24th)
21.9 (24th)	Points Per Game/Allowed	28.6 (26th)
5-11	Record (2020)	2-14

Panthers QB Sam Darnold and WR Robby Anderson will look to make a statement this Sunday when they take on their former team, the New York Jets. For the first time in what seems like forever, the Panthers will also have running back Christian McCaffrey fully healthy and will not be limited in any way. Just glancing at the depth chart on both sides, there are a few mismatches that could have a big impact on the outcome of the game. 

First, let's start up front since that's where most games are won and lost. The interior of the Jets' defensive line is going to present some major challenges. Quinnen Williams is one of the best young defensive tackles in the game and Folorunso Fatukasi is a respectable run stopper who will be paired up with him inside. Carolina will be working in essentially two new starting guards with Pat Elflein on the left side and Dennis Daley on the right side. Starting right guard John Miller is ruled out for the game after being placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Daley has some starting experience but has not played much guard in his football career.  For Carolina to really spread the ball around through the air, the offensive line must protect Sam Darnold and it starts with those two guys in the middle.

The major advantage for the Panthers is the wide receiver vs corner matchups. DJ Moore, Robby Anderson, and Terrace Marshall Jr. are going to be a handful for most teams but especially for the Jets. Bryce Hall has nine career starts at corner and that's the most experience New York has at the position. If the o-line gives Darnold time to scan the defense, he could pick apart the Jets' secondary.

When the Jets have the ball

Jets Offense	Stats	Panthers Defense
279.9 (32nd)	Total Yards Per Game/Allowed	360.1 (18th)
105.2 (23rd)	Rushing Yards Per Game/Allowed	121.0 (20th)
4.2 (24th)	Rushing Yards Per Attempt/Allowed	4.8 (20th)
174.8 (31st)	Passing Yards Per Game/Allowed	239.1 (18th)
43 (24th)	Sacks Allowed/Sacks	29 (T-23rd)
34.0 (32nd)	Third Down Efficiency	49.2 (31st)
15.2 (32nd)	Points Per Game/Allowed	25.1 (18th)

When it comes to last year's stats, you can pretty much scrap the whole thing. The Jets have a bunch of new faces on that side of the ball and having an exciting, young rookie quarterback could change those numbers. The Panthers' defense struggled in the earlier portion of the season but continued to get better as the season moved along. With the addition of Haason Reddick, DaQuan Jones, and Morgan Fox, the front seven is expected to be much improved and provide a consistent pass rush.

Zach Wilson has the skillset to be a very good quarterback in the league but this is a tough defense to face in his NFL debut. The one reason Sam Darnold struggled so much in New York was due to a lack of protection. Drafting Alijah Vera-Tucker helps, but the Jets are going to be facing an uphill battle in week one in attempt to limit Brian Burns, Haason Reddick, Yetur Gross-Matos, and the rest of the Panthers' pass rush from causing havoc in the backfield. 

For the Jets to have any sort of success offensively, they are going to have get the ball out quick and rely on the running game of Tevin Coleman and La'Mical Perine to help the young rookie get settled.

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