Sir Purr
Well-known member
- Mar 16, 2019
- 1,969
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ANALYSIS: "After losing six of their past seven games, the Carolina Panthers are a 4-8 team playing out the string. As a result, some believe they should just shut down star running back Christian McCaffrey, who has missed most of the season with ankle and shoulder injuries.
However, McCaffrey is expected to return Sunday against the Denver Broncos, according to ESPN's David Newton.
"He's a top-five NFL player," head coach Matt Rhule told reporters last week. "With your best players, you feel great about your chances of winning. ... You add Christian to the mix, he's a fantastic player, he brings a lot to the table, he creates matchups, he allows you to be creative."
There's no question that McCaffrey will make the Panthers a more dangerous spoiler down the stretch. They're averaging 3.6 more points per game, 5.2 more first downs, 82.4 more yards from scrimmage and 0.9 more touchdowns with him, per Newton.
Those numbers make a difference, especially considering Carolina has lost four games by four points or fewer."