Panthers vs Cardinals NFL Pick: Carolina Already Needs a Solid Showing (Sep 14)

• NFL Week 2 Panthers-Cardinals features two teams with myriad questions for 2025
• Carolina is already in trouble after a Week 1 loss, growing ambivalence over QB Bryce Young, and an owner who acts first, thinks later
• Arizona won its opener over the Saints 20-13 with an effective performance from embattled QB Kyler Murray
• The Cardinals are favored by a touchdown

Carolina Season Already Teeters on Catastrophe

For most teams, a Week 1 loss is chalked up as one of 17 games with a long way to go. This is true even if they were dominated as the Panthers were in their 26-10 loss to the Jaguars.

While it’s not entirely Bryce Young’s fault, the former number 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft is the focal point because of the expectations surrounding him and the growing perception that he’s a historic bust.

It’s been suggested that Young “wasn’t as bad as his numbers.”

The numbers are quite terrible. He completed 18 of 35 passes for 154 yards, 1 TD, and 1 interception. His passer rating was 49.0.

It takes a lot of digging to find a bright side in that performance. But let’s assume that he wasn’t as bad as his numbers. This is not a small body of work. The good performances from Young are a small body of work, as they came about late in the 2024 season when the Panthers were already irrelevant on their way to a 5-12 season.

Carolina failed to run the ball effectively against the Jaguars despite having two solid, veteran backs in Chuba Hubbard and Rico Dowdle. The duo carried the ball 18 times for 69 yards. Rookie Trevor Etienne barely touched the ball.

Rookie receiver Tetairoa McMillan caught 5 balls for 68 yards. Hunter Renfroe caught 2 for 11; Xavier Legette 3 for 10. Jacksonville accumulated 200 yards on the ground against Carolina’s defense. Jags’ QB Trevor Lawrence was unbothered all day.

The clock is ticking before owner David Tepper lets his feelings be known. And they won’t be positive ones if the Panthers play in Week 2 as they did in Week 1.

The Cardinals Have the Same Vibe as in 2024

The Cardinals’ win over the Saints was impressive enough, even though New Orleans is an early contender to get the number 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Carolina is another game they should win. Still, the Cardinals had trouble running the ball against the Saints. James Conner had 39 yards on 12 carries.

QB Kyler Murray was 21 for 29 and tossed 2 TD passes. Importantly, he did something he had trouble doing last season: he got Marvin Harrison Jr. involved. The Cardinals’ 2024 1st-rounder caught 5 balls for 71 yards and a TD. Tight end/security blanket, Trey McBride, caught 6 balls for 61 yards.

Arizona has a good secondary led by Budda Baker.

In short, they have potential, but they take on the same tone as the 8-9, almost, but not good enough, team they were in 2024.

Despite that, a 2-0 start gets them off and running.

Panthers vs Cardinals Pick

In Week 2, Panthers-Cardinals, Carolina should be able to run the ball against Arizona’s front line. But given Young’s struggles, expect the Cardinals to dare him to beat them. He showed his potential late last season, but his struggles against the Jags in Week 1 are worrisome.

Conner will not have as poor a game against the Panthers as he did against the Saints.

Expect a closer game than expected, and the Panthers will keep it within a TD.