Sir Purr
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- Mar 16, 2019
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The Sack Street Boys vs Sacksonville
It’s been a few years since Sacksonville was really in full effect, but if the first four weeks of the season are any indicator, it looks like the city might be back on the map.
The Jaguars’ defense is tied for sixth in the league with 13 sacks on the season, while the Panthers rank first with 18. Jags’ defensive end Calais Campbell leads the team with three sacks compared to Panthers’ sack leader Mario Addison's 5.5.
Although the Panthers have been without Kawann Short for two weeks now, the defensive tackle was officially placed on injured reserve this week. The loss of Short has left a sizable hole on the defensive line, both literally and figuratively, and one that Rivera hopes veterans like defensive tackle Gerald McCoy can help fill.
“You can see his veteran leadership step up, and that’s one of the fortunate things about having a guy like that in the locker room. He steps up into that role and he’s done a nice job with it,” Rivera said, also citing the impact of defensive end Bruce Irvin. “We’re fortunate to have those kinds of veteran guys that are helping to offset the loss of KK.”
If the Panthers hope to continue tallying up sacks this Sunday, they’ll need another big contribution from rookie sensation Brian Burns. Just this week, Burns earned two Defensive Rookie of the Month awards – but Burns is focused on getting after Minshew.
"He’s a little savvy. He’s elusive and able to think fast on his feet and trust his instincts," Burns said. "That being said, I know he’s going to hold the ball. He has a cannon, so I know he’s going to look for that deep throw, it’s going to take a little more time.”
If Minshew makes the mistake of holding onto the ball for too long against a defense like Carolina's, it could be another big day for the D-line.