Panthers at Raiders: Highlights, score and recap
By Brad Weiss
Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers will head west to take on Derek Carr and the Oakland Raiders on Sunday at the Oakland Coliseum.
Last season, the Carolina Panthers had a magical regular season, going 15-1 enroute to a berth in Super Bowl 50. The Oakland Raiders were finishing up another season outside of the playoffs, though the future was beginning to look bright for the Silver and Black. The 2016 regular season may be a reversal of fortunes, as the Raiders have the No. 1 seed in the AFC, while the Panthers will likely be on the outside looking in come playoff time.
On Sunday, the two teams will meet up inside the Oakland Coliseum, in a matchup between two of the better young quarterbacks in the NFL. Derek Carr has pulled the Raiders out of the perennial losing that has plagued the franchise since 2002. Carr had brought his team back late in games on numerous occasions since being named the team’s starter as a rookie in 2014, and has the team on the brink of the playoffs since representing the AFC in Super Bowl XXXVII.
Cam Newton has seen what it takes to make it to the Super Bowl, though he and his Panthers teammates were throttled by the Denver Broncos. The 2016 version of the Panthers has suffered through some bad losses, and are currently looking up at the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons in the NFC South. They have a ton of young talent on the roster, and should be back as a contender as early as next season.
Carolina may find it tough to pull out the road victory on Sunday due to two key players being ruled out for the game. Star linebacker Luke Kuechly and center Ryan Khalil will both be listed as inactive for a team that is in desperate need of a win. Oakland is riding high after their victory against the Houston Texans on Monday night football last week, and will be looking to hang on to that top spot in the AFC.
Highlights
Highlights will be posted throughout the game.
Three Stars Prediction
1. Derek Carr
The Carr show continues to roll on, as the third-year starter may be in line for his first NFL MVP this season. He has played his best football with the game on the line, and has the ability to pull out wins when his back is against the wall. He will be going against a Carolina secondary that has been known to get shredded on occasion, and that could be the case on Sunday.
2. Cam Newton
The Oakland Raiders defense is still trying to come together as a unit, and has shown the propensity to give up the big play from time to time. Cam Newton is a master at exploiting the weaknesses in defenses, and the Raiders certainly have some. He is going to make some big plays with his arms, and his legs on Sunday, and it will be up to the Raiders to find a way to keep those at a minimum.
3. Latavius Murray
This could be a huge game for Murray, who will be going against a Panthers defense that will be without their best player. Murray has shown he can run over, and around defenses, and appears to be back to 100 on the health front. If he gets going early, the Raiders are likely to keep feeding him until the Panthers find a way to stop him.
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Odds
The Raiders are 3.5 point favorites at home, as the odds makers figure they are going to continue their winning ways. The over/under is set at 49, so expect a bunch of scoring throughout between these two teams.
Next Week
Oakland will stay home in Week 13, as they welcome the Buffalo Bills to the Coliseum for an AFC matchup. Carolina will continue their road schedule, as they play the Seattle Seahawks in a Sunday Night Football contest on national television.