Arizona Cardinals Vs. Carolina Panthers: 5 Bold Predictions For Week 8 Of 2016 NFL Season


The Arizona Cardinals will travel to the East Coast to take on the Carolina Panthers on Sunday afternoon in a rematch of last season’s NFC Championship Game. The Panthers won that game 49-15 on their way to an appearance in Super Bowl 50, and the Cardinals will undoubtedly be looking for revenge after such an embarrassing showing.

The Cardinals will come into this game with a 3-3-1 record after a shocking 6-6 tie against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday Night Football. The team has been led by running back David Johnson, who has rushed for 681 yards and hauled in 28 passes for 323 yards through seven games, and a defensive unit that is ranked No. 2 in the NFL in total defense.

Carolina enters this big matchup with a 1-5 record after a disappointing start to the season that’s featured poor play, injuries, and extreme disappointment. The Panthers are hoping that a Week 7 bye will make a major difference by giving the injured players some time to mend and allowing other guys to refocus for the rest of the 2016 NFL Season.

Will the Carolina Panthers keep their slim playoff chances alive? Or will the Arizona Cardinals get revenge for last season’s NFC Championship Game beatdown?

Find out in these bold predictions.

Panthers Will Hold David Johnson Under 100 Total Yards

Johnson’s lowest yards from scrimmage total was in Week 3 against the Buffalo Bills when he registered 111. He’s the focal point of the Cardinals’ offense and the Panthers must do everything in their power to slow him down or it could be a long game. Thankfully, the Panthers will be getting nearly every injured defensive player back which should be enough to contain one of the best running backs in the NFL.

Carolina Will Rush For At Least 150 Yards

If the Panthers are going to have a chance against the Cardinals, Jonathan Stewart and the running game are going to have to control the time of possession and keep the defense off the field. Stewart carried the ball 19 times for 85 yards in Week 6 against the New Orleans Saints and he could get upwards of 25 touches against Arizona.

Cam Newton Will Have A Minimum Of 300 Total Yards

Newton has struggled this season as he’s thrown six interceptions in five games and missed Week 5 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with a concussion. After a poor first half against the Saints, Newton bounced back and threw for 322 yards and scored three total touchdowns as the Panthers nearly made an unlikely comeback. It seemed Cam finally found a groove and he’ll be ready to carry that over against Arizona.

Defense Will Record 5 Sacks

The Carolina defensive has underachieved this season and it’s a big reason why the Panthers’ defense has struggled. Thankfully, the Cardinals’ offensive line has struggled just as much to protect Carson Palmer and the Panthers should have a good shot at getting Palmer regularly on Sunday. Look for a big day from the defensive line as they fight for their season.

Panthers Save Their Season For Another Week

The Carolina Panthers have their backs against the wall this week as a loss will all but eliminate them from the NFC playoff picture. With a week off to refocus and heal, expect the Panthers to come out swinging early as they try to send a message to the Arizona Cardinals. I’ll take the Panthers to win 23-14 on Sunday afternoon.

[Featured Image by Sean Gardner/Getty Images]

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