If you ask old school scouts what is required to field a championship contender, they will quickly tell you that it takes eight to twelve blue-chip players to compete for a title. This premise has been the standard for general managers around the league and I rely on it to help me identify the players to watch on game day.
With that in mind, I thought I would take a little time to identify the players to watch on the Cowboys' next opponent. Knowing that All-Pro RB Christian McCaffery is out this week with a hamstring, here's a quick report on the current Panthers' blue-chips players:
These eight guys for the Panthers are the ones that give the Cowboys the most problems on Sunday.
Sam Darnold: The Panthers' QB1 has shown promise in a new environment. The fourth-year pro has posted back-to-back 300-yard games and eliminated some of the bone head mistakes that plagued his career in New York.
DJ Moore: The No.1 option in the passing game has a pair of 1,000-yard seasons on his resume and is on track to surpass the mark for third straight season. Moore's crafty route running skills make a nightmare to defend in one on one matchups.
Robby Anderson: The big play specialist has the capacity to score from anywhere in the field at any time. Anderson's 20-plus yard average (20.3) jumps off the stat sheet but it is his speed and explosiveness that should catch the attention of defenders when No.11 is on the field.
Taylor Moton: As one of the NFL's premier right tackles, Moton signed for big money in the off-season after logging 100% of the snaps at the position for the Panthers the last three years. The athletic edge blocker neutralizes pass rushers off the edge and creates space in the running game.
Brian Burns: The swift pass rusher is a blur off the edge with exceptional first-step quickness and snap-count anticipation. Burns' three sacks and disruptive potential should make tracking his whereabouts a top priority.
Jeremy Chinn: The versatile hybrid defender makes splash play after splash play as the Panthers' designated playmaker. He is a crafty second level defender with a knack for finding the ball in critical moments.
Derrick Brown: The mammoth interior defender sets the tone as a dominant trench warrior. Brown's ability to control the point against the run leads to long yardage situation and playmaking opportunities for the defense.
Shaq Thompson: The quiet leader of the Panthers is a sideline to sideline playmaker with outstanding range and instincts. Thompson is an X-factor with the potential to take over games as a disruptive defender on the second level.
