The Carolina Panthers will be starting backup quarterback Sam Darnold in this game, which typically means fewer pass attempts and more rush attempts.
Opposing teams have averaged 35.5 pass attempts per game versus the Denver Broncos defense this year: 8th-most in football.
The Carolina Panthers O-line profiles as the best in football this year in pass protection, which has a positive effect on all passing offense statistics across the board.
The Denver Broncos pass rush has gotten pressure on opposing QBs 2.53 seconds after the snap (on average), grading out as the 5th-slowest in football since the start of last season.
The Carolina Panthers have been faced with a stacked the box on 19.7% of their plays since the start of last season, 5th-most in the league. Positioning an extra defender close to the line of scrimmage improves run-stopping at the expense of better passing efficiency.
Cons
The Carolina Panthers boast a new play-caller this season in offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo, and THE BLITZ projects their pass/run mix to skew 2.1% more towards rushing than it did last season (adjusted for context).
THE BLITZ projects the Carolina Panthers to be the 9th-least pass-centric offense among all teams this week with a 53.7% pass rate, given their underlying tendencies and matchup dynamics.
THE BLITZ projects the Carolina Panthers as the 3rd-slowest paced defense in the league (context-neutralized) right now, causing opposing offenses to average 29.22 seconds per snap.
The weather report calls for 13-mph wind in this game. High wind typically means lower pass volume (and higher run volume) and lessened passing efficiency.
Sam Darnold has been among the least accurate quarterbacks in the league since the start of last season with a 59.9% Completion%, grading out in the 8th percentile.