Yahoo Sports 5 Panthers players to watch vs. Bears
The Chicago Bears begin the proverbial second quarter of the 2024 season with a home tilt against the Carolina Panthers. The Bears (2-2) are riding a league-best seven-game winning streak at home after their win over the Los Angeles Rams at Soldier Field, while the Panthers (1-3) came down to earth following their quarterback change, losing to the Cincinnati Bengals.
It's a revenge game of sorts for both teams. Carolina's starting quarterback Andy Dalton gets to face his former team for the first time, while Bears wide receiver DJ Moore gets to face the Panthers once again since he was traded during the spring of 2023.
Carolina looks a bit different than the team many people thought we would see when the season began. They're more dangerous than initially believed, in part thanks to these five players that are worth keeping an eye on:
1. QB Andy Dalton
QB1 returns at last. The Bears face one of their former starting quarterbacks in a regular season game since they went up against Brian Hoyer and the Las Vegas Raiders and defeated him last year. In fact, the Bears are 3-0 against former starting quarterbacks since 2020. Dalton has Carolina playing inspired football, though. After he took over a benched Bryce Young, the offense came to life. The Panthers have scored seven touchdowns over the last two weeks—a major improvement from what their output was before.
That is primarily thanks to Dalton, who is playing well within the system and getting the ball out to his receivers quickly. He has five touchdowns and just one interceptions, along with a passer rating of 101.4. It could be hard for Chicago's defensive front to generate enough pressure to take him down, meaning they will need to rely on their secondary to create coverage sacks. Dalton may not be one of the upper-echelon passers anymore, but he knows where to put the football and when.
2. RB Chuba Hubbard
Chuba Hubbard is off to the best start of his career. After a lackluster first couple of games, Hubbard started seeing more opportunities and made the most of them. He's had back-to-back 100-yard games, the first time he's accomplished that feat in his career, and is averaging 5.4 yards per carry. He now faces a Bears defense that has been somewhat vulnerable against the run.
Two weeks ago, Jonathan Taylor eclipsed 100 rushing yards, and last week, Kyren Williams had a season-best 94 yards. Hubbard could be the next back to move the ball against them and will be a focal point of the Panthers offense on Sunday.
3. WR Diontae Johnson
When Dalton drops back to pass, chances are he'll be looking Diontae Johnson's way. Johnson has come alive over the last two weeks ever since Dalton took over the starting job, drawing 27 targets, which have gone for 15 catches for 205 yards and two touchdowns. The former Steelers receiver who wore out his welcome in Pittsburgh now has new life in Carolina.
With Adam Thielen out and Xavier Legette still coming along as a rookie, Johnson is easily the team's best pass catcher. The Bears will need to keep eyes on him all day long and blanket him enough where Dalton chooses to go elsewhere with the ball. Fortunately, they have the secondary to do it as the Bears allow the second-worst opposing passer rating with 69.0. They'll just need to execute the plays.
4. DE Jadeveon Clowney
The Panthers are banged up on the defensive line and have just five sacks on the season, tied for the fewest in the league. There is still talent up front though, and that begins with veteran Jadeveon Clowney. The former No. 1 overall pick had a resurgence with the Baltimore Ravens in 2023 and turned that into a nice contract with the Panthers. He hasn't lived up to those same heights in 2024, though
Through four games, Clowney has nine tackles, one for loss, one sack, five pressures, and 2 QB hits. Clowney didn't record a stat in the box score, but he was heavily involved and had a few solid pressures. He'll likely go up against Darnell Wright, who is battling through a back injury and hasn't played up to his standard of football through four games.
5. CB Jaycee Horn
Are we finally seeing the breakout campaign for Jaycee Horn? The fourth-year Panthers cornerback is having a stellar start to his 2024 season, clamping down on elite wide receivers. Horn has limited players like Ja'Marr Chase and Davante Adams and could have another big day locking up the Bears receivers. Who he guards is the question, though.
Horn could matchup against his former teammate Moore for the first time since the receiver was dealt to the Bears. Horn missed last year's matchup due to injury, which has been a problem for him throughout his career. He has played just one season of double-digit games, which came back in 2022. Horn is healthy now, though, and is playing solid football with one interception and three pass breakups. He'll be the defensive back to avoid on Sunday.
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: 5 Panthers players to watch vs. Bears
