***MNF IN THE SWAMP - CAR @ WASH***
***CAROLINA PANTHERS @ WASHINGTON REDSKINS***
Extremely short on time here so I will keep this one short and sweet. Tonight the Carolina Panthers will head into Washington to take on the playoff hopeful Redskins. The Skins currently sit with a 7-5-1 record and with the Buccaneers losing last night, they now control their own destiny and if they can win out, they would steal a Wild Card spot. However the Panthers can look to play spoiler tonight as they at this point have nothing to play for other than pride with their playoff hopes long gone. I made the mistake of thinking they were a prideful bunch the last time around on SNF in Seattle, when the Seahawks completely dismantled the Panthers. Granted there were some obvious confrontations going on in-house with Head Coach Ron Rivera benching QB Cam Newton for the first play of the game in which backup Derek Anderson threw an interception and set the Hawks up for an early 3 points. I knew as I'm sure everyone else did at this moment that I was on the wrong side. That all being said I would be a fool to back this team again amIright?! I got news for ya, Swampy is a bit of a fool sometimes but some times ya gotta be when breaking down the NFL because each spot from week to week is different and therefore from week to week and game to game things change drastically. The Panthers bounced back from their embarrassing outing in Seattle by coming to play and fending off a feisty San Diego Chargers team last week at home and got a win. Now they are right back in the spotlight tonight and have a chance to put a road block on their ex-teammate CB Josh Norman and his new team's playoff chances, I believe that right there is enough motivation for Carolina to try and redeem themselves tonight. As mentioned, the Panthers have nothing to play for other than their own pride, and up against their old teammate who has run his mouth all season about how they should've held onto him I believe they will come with all they got tonight in an attempt to try and stop Norman from continuing to run his mouth afterwards. The Panthers are weak against the passing game since Norman left and that is no secret but these young DBs are playing better and I like what I saw against Phillip Rivers last week. I think that crushing loss at the hands of Seattle two weeks ago woke this team up and they will try to finish strong with a chance to have a say in how things go here these last couple of weeks playing all potential NFC playoff teams in Washington, Atlanta, and Tampa Bay. The Panthers would love nothing more than to serve each one of these foes a loss and screw with their hopes and dreams. We all know how big of a baby QB Cam Newton is and I'm thinking he is going to bounce back and run with the "if I can't have it, none of you can" pout and use that for fuel to bounce back in the public eye here tonight and for the rest of the season to try and end things on a positive note. In the cold weather tonight, I like the Panthers to hang tough on defense and run, run, run the rock to try and keep Skins QB Kirk Cousins and their offense off the field tonight as much as possible and out of rhythm. No time for jibba jabba here. Frankly, as much as I like Cousins and this Skins team, I don't think they should be favored by 7 against any body. I believe they have lost 15 of their last 16 home MNF games, YIKES. All the pressure on them here and I doubt we see another Prime Time blowout and believe the Panthers keep it close and maybe win outright. PANTHERS+7
