49ers vs. Panthers: Week 2 Is a True Test for San Francisco
By Peter Panacy
The San Francisco 49ers started 2016 off on the right foot with a 28-0 mauling of the Los Angeles Rams. But the Niners travel east on a short week to take on the well-rested Carolina Panthers in what will prove to be a true litmus test for where the red and gold stand against the NFL’s elite.
The feel-good nature of the San Francisco 49ers Week 1 victory over the Los Angeles Rams may be short-lived as the team readies itself for a major challenge in Week 2.
San Francisco is scheduled to take on the defending NFC champions, the Carolina Panthers, on the road and on a short week.
The schedule does no favors for the Niners, and they’ll have to contend with a Panthers team benefited from an added three days of rest and preparation.
Niner Noise touched on this already. But here’s the simple scoop — San Francisco has a short week. Carolina has a long one and is at home.
Last year, the 49ers opened up 2015 with an impressive 20-3 win on Monday Night Football over the Minnesota Vikings. And yet the short-rested Niners had to travel east to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers, who were also well rested after debuting the previous Thursday night.
Those results weren’t pretty. The Steelers dominated the Niners 43-18.
Carolina figures to be an even tougher test. And while head coach Chip Kelly’s debut went about as well as it could have, Week 2 could wind up revealing the true reality behind the red and gold.
Facing Off Against a Top-Tier Panthers Team
The 49ers wouldn’t have an easy go of things even if they were traveling on regular rest and the Panthers didn’t have the lengthy week-plus of prep time.
Mind you, Carolina finished with the NFL’s best offense a year ago and also ranked No. 6 in fewest points allowed (308). And despite the Panthers’ disappointing 21-20 Week 1 loss to the defending-champion Denver Broncos, a 0-1 start is nothing to suggest Carolina is falling off last year’s elite platform.
So it should come as much of a surprise to see the Panthers open up as 13.5-point favorites, according to Odds Shark.
San Francisco may be equipped to stop a lackluster, underwhelming Rams offense. Stopping Panthers quarterback Cam Newton and Co. is an entirely different story.
Our good friend Tracy Sandler of 49ersFanGirl.com reminded us of this seemingly Herculean task the Niners face in Week 2:
not to be a negative nelly but the 49ers could have three weeks and 12 men and it wouldn't matter.
— Tracy Sandler (@49ersfangirl) September 13, 2016
Pretty much.
Factor in the travel, short week and added Carolina rest, and Week 2 could resemble what happened a year ago.
Stopping Cam Newton
Niner Noise will be rolling out a scheme piece soon on how the defense can slow Newton down.
The comparison will be on how San Francisco’s defensive line can open up lanes for an edge-rusher like Tank Carradine to get to the Panthers QB. It’s not completely unlike what the Broncos did in Week 1.
But the difference lies in how superior Denver’s defense is over the 49ers.
While promising, the Niners have yet to establish a regular pass rush against a top-tier offensive line. Rams quarterback Case Keenum isn’t particularly mobile. Newton is. And that presents a slew of additional challenges.
If there is some hope here, it’s the notion the 49ers secondary can lock down on 6-foot-5 wideout Kelvin Benjamin (no simple task) and hope other targets like Devin Funchess and Greg Olsen don’t do much damage.
Again, easier said than done.
Pressure will be the absolute key here. And we should have a better idea how the Niners pass rush truly is when this group takes the field in Carolina.
San Francisco’s Offensive X-Factors
Quarterback Blaine Gabbert’s Week 1 numbers were relatively pedestrian. He completed 22-of-35 attempts for 170 yards and a touchdown against a very good Rams defense.
The Niners offensive line also didn’t allow any sacks — a good thing, considering Los Angeles’ defensive front.
All this matters because Carolina gave up a similar stat line to Broncos quarterback Trevor Siemian a week ago. Like Gabbert, Siemian isn’t anywhere close to being elite. As a game manager though, he worked effectively enough to give Denver a chance to win. And win the Broncos did.
But the real threat the 49ers have should come from running back Carlos Hyde.
The Panthers allowed 148 yards on the ground a week ago. And while one week’s worth of stats isn’t good enough to project how a team’s defense will pan out, the Niners would be wise to try and replicate what Broncos tailback C.J. Anderson and Co. did over the course of the game.
In a sense, this will be the best way to keep Newton and Carolina’s offense off the field.
Maybe, just maybe, it works enough.
The True Test
San Francisco is still in a position where it has to prove to the rest of the league it’s no longer a bottom-dweller in nearly every major stat and category. One impressive win over the Rams isn’t going to do this.
But the Niners picked up a win they should have gotten. And that’s good. Take advantage of a team riddled with its own question marks.
Carolina is a different story. Yet a loss to the Panthers wouldn’t be the proverbial “end of the world” for Kelly and the Niners.
The NFL isn’t a moral-victory league. And yet the 49ers could easily achieve one here. Even if San Francisco loses — and it’s impossible to bet they won’t — keeping pace with the mighty Panthers would be yet another step in the right direction.
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Let’s say the Niners make Newton look relatively human. And San Francisco’s offense does enough to resemble a respectable force.
Lastly, if the 49ers are within striking distance in the fourth quarter, one has to feel pretty good knowing San Francisco gave the defending conference champions a tough fight.
Regardless, we’ll have a much better indication how the Niners stack up against the league’s elite when Week 2 is in the books.
Next: 49ers Surge up NFL Power Rankings After Week 1 Win
All statistics, records and accolades courtesy of ESPN.com, Pro-Football-Reference.com and Sports-Reference.com unless otherwise indicated.