Thanks for checking out my preview of the Carolina Panthers at the New Orleans Saints game to be played on Sunday January first 2012. Earlier this year the Saints defeated the Panthers 30 to 27 and you can read the review of that game here.

The New Orleans Saints will be bringing their best this week to play the Carolina Panthers. The Saints are thought to be many as the only team that can beat the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Playoffs. New Orleans won the NFC South division title but want the chance to play everyone but the Packers on their home field.

The Carolina Panthers can upset the Saints and really put a crimp in their postseason plans. The Saints have a great offense and can stop the run with their defense. However the New Orleans Saints struggle defending the pass which is what the Panthers do very well.

The Carolina Panthers offense must throw the ball early and often and run in selective situations to upset the New Orleans Saints. The Panthers need to get Steve Smith more involved this week to beat the Saints. If Smith makes a big play early he seems to feed off that and make more big plays as a game progresses.

Knocking of the New Orleans Saints would be a big feather in Coach Ron Rivera’s cap. Rivera is a defensive specialist who has managed to help improve the Panthers defense despite a lack of talent on the line and a rash of injuries all over the unit.

The Panthers can create a buzz and some momentum for 2012 if they knock off the New Orleans Saints. On defense the Panthers must try to pressure Drew Brees who quietly is having a monster year for the Saints.

James Anderson and Charles “Big Money” Johnson will be the keys for the Panthers defense. Johnson has had a decent but not great season but he is the best bet on the Panthers to get to Brees. James Anderson is the team’s best all around player and I feel he is the Panthers defensive MVP.

If the Panthers defense can pressure Brees and cause a turnover or two then Carolina has a good chance to upset the Saints. Cam Newton and the offense can and will score on the Saints and I expect this game to be a shootout from whistle to whistle. Go Panthers!

Thanks for checking out my review of the Carolina Panthers at the Houston Texans game. The Carolina Panthers upset the Houston Texans by the score of 28 to 13. The Carolina Panthers managed to hold off a late game surge by the Houston Texans for the win.

The first half belonged to the Carolina Panthers as they took a 21-0 lead. The Carolina Panthers even used a fumblerooski type play as Cam Newton handed the ball to Brockel by slipping it between his legs. Brockel then ran a misdirection play into the end zone with ease as everyone else went the other way.

The Houston Texans started badly with a fumble by Foster on the first drive. The Carolina Panthers took advantage of that by moving down for a touchdown pass to Steve Smith from Cam Newton.

The Houston Texans were really banged up coming into the Carolina Panthers game. I also felt the Texans played flat for most of the game. It appeared the Texans let down a little after locking up the first playoff spot in franchise history last week. T.J. Yates struggled against the Panthers defense but the Texans kept plugging away before Carolina sealed the deal in the fourth quarter.

T. J. Yates completed 19 of 30 passes for 212 yards with two interceptions and no touchdown passes. Yates had problems getting the ball to his receivers on a few plays but he kept playing hard.

Jordan Senn had his best game as a Carolina Panther in my opinion. Senn had 12 tackles, two assists, one interception and one forced fumble. James Anderson also stepped for the Panthers against the Texans. Anderson had five tackles, one assist and an interception of a T.J. Yates pass.

Of course Cam Newton was an important part of the Carolina Panthers upset of the Houston Texans. Newton completed 13 of 23 passes for 149 yards with two touchdowns and no turnovers. Cam Newton also had a 17 yard run among his 55 rushing yards against the Houston Texans.

Steve Smith had five receptions for 82 yards and a touchdown pass from Newton. Jeremy Shockey had two receptions for 35 yards and one touchdown catch. Shockey was very animated during the game and played well.

DeAngelo Williams rushed for 61 yards on 15 carries and had a touchdown run. Jonathan Stewart ran for 43 yards on 11 carries against the tough Houston Texans run defense. Check back soon for my preview of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the Carolina Panthers.