Steven Jackson

Had surgery on his finger on Monday and hasn't practiced since. Would be nice to be able to blitz the rookie QB without having to worry about Jackson.

 

He'll play... wouldn't get your hopes up...

 

ESPN is saying as much. and have the Rams winning by 6, 27-21
After breaking down film of both teams, Scouts Inc. offers 10 things to watch in this week's Panthers-Rams matchup.

1. Get Steve Smith involved early: Smith returned to action this past weekend after missing the Panthers' previous game -- in Week 5 -- against the Chicago Bears. On Sunday he was targeted on eight passes, catching four, but more important he took a lot of the attention away from the other receivers. David Gettis had a huge game, with eight catches for 125 yards, but Smith is still the Panthers' most explosive weapon.

2. Protect the pocket: The Panthers have given up 18 sacks on the year, sixth most in the NFL, but Matt Moore was only sacked one time this past Sunday by the San Francisco 49ers. St. Louis brings a more aggressive pressure package and will want to try and force the young quarterback into some errant throws.

3. Crowd the box: The last thing the Panthers can afford to do is to let RB Steven Jackson get rolling. Jackson is still an elite running back and can carry an offense once he gets going. Look for Carolina defensive coordinator Ron Meeks to push a safety up into the box in an attempt to force the Rams to become one-dimensional by taking away their ground game.

4. Pound the rock: The Panthers are averaging just 95 yards per game on the ground, 23rd best in the league, and 3.5 yards per carry, which is tied for 30th. This is the same Carolina team that was in the top three of the NFL in both categories in both 2008 and 2009. Offensive coordinator Jeff Davidson wants to establish the run to set up their play-action pass and will feed both DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart the ball a lot this weekend.

5. Matchup to watch: Carolina WR Steve Smith vs. St. Louis CB Bradley Fletcher: With the ground game struggling this year the Panthers need to do something to loosen up the secondary and Smith is apt to be the number one target with his ability to stretch the secondary. Fletcher is leading the Rams with two interceptions and has the size and strength to be physical with Smith on his release and disrupt the timing between Smith and Moore.

6. Blitz up the middle: The Rams like to blitz the A gap with two linebackers that try to confuse blockers as they try to decide who to pick up. With their zone blocking scheme, Carolina's offensive line takes a lateral step and makes a quick decision on who they will block based on what they see in front of them. If the Rams come with a lot of delayed blitzes, they may force some confusion up front.

7. Get Jackson on track early: Jackson is quietly having another outstanding season, as he has rushed for 617 yards after just seven games. He's still the heart of the Rams' offense and does a great job of moving the chains. When Jackson is running well it takes a lot of pressure off of QB Sam Bradford and the passing game.

8. Create turnovers: Carolina has turned the ball over a league-high 19 times, with 10 interceptions and nine fumbles. You can be sure that Rams head coach Steve Spagnuolo will be preaching stripping the ball and ball hawking this week as they prepare for the Panthers.

9. Force Moore to win the game: St. Louis feels like if they can take away the Panthers' ground game and force them to throw the ball, they can pressure the pocket and get Moore out of his comfort zone. Defensive ends Chris Long and James Hall have been playing great football as of late, and when they can pin their ears back and attack the pocket, good things happen. But early, they'll need to be disciplined and help keep running lanes closed.

10. Matchup to watch: St. Louis RDE James Hall vs. LT Jordan Gross: Hall is leading the Rams in QB sacks with 6.5 and will be looking to get pressure on Moore. He has excellent initial quickness and acceleration, as well as the ability to bring his rush back inside with good counter moves. Gross is a very athletic left tackle with natural knee bend and the ability to react and adjust on the move.

 

I'll tell you one more thing that needs to happen.... we need to put more points on the scoreboard than they do