Written by Clark Gerber, contributing writer for WRAL Sports.

Carolina Panthers
Jacksonville Jaguars
On Sunday, December 31st at 1:00 PM Eastern Standard Time, tune in to CBS.

The Carolina Panthers have achieved a number of notable accomplishments in the past few weeks – their first victory against a divisional rival, their first game scoring 30 points, and their first game with over 300 passing yards.

This Sunday, they will have a final opportunity to secure their first victory on the road for the season. They will be traveling south to play against a struggling team, the Jacksonville Jaguars, who have lost four consecutive games.

Interim head coach Chris Tabor expressed excitement for the upcoming opportunity. The team is set to face a strong opponent on their home turf, who is also vying for a spot in the playoffs. Tabor sees this as a crucial match for his team, akin to a playoff game.

The Panthers’ offensive unit aims to sustain their progress, as they achieved their highest scores in nearly every aspect last week against Green Bay.

A significant factor in their achievement was their effectiveness in the passing attack. It appears that rookie quarterback Bryce Young has found success with multiple receivers.

Last week, DJ Chark, Adam Thielen, and Tommy Tremble all had over 59 receiving yards. However, Young understands that this does not guarantee success in the upcoming game.

Young stated that regardless of the circumstances, one must move forward. One cannot hold onto previous statistics, possessions, or points. The team will approach the upcoming game against Jacksonville with a clean slate.

Despite their 2-13 record, it is evident that there is a noticeable change in attitude within the Panthers team, particularly in the past two weeks. The players seem more carefree, calm, and happy, resulting in some of their strongest performances of the season.

Tabor stated that the current level of confidence among the male players is evident and tangible. This boost in confidence benefits everyone and Tabor hopes it can be sustained. The upcoming game will be a challenging one for the team.

Game keys for the matchup between the Panthers and Jaguars.

1. Be the first to reach 23 points in the race. The Panthers have not won a game this season when allowing 23 or more points. The Jaguars have only won one game when allowing 23 or more points. Whichever team reaches this threshold first will likely have a strong chance of winning on Sunday.

The Panthers rank 31st in red zone defense in the NFL, with a 71.4% opponent touchdown rate. In contrast, the Jaguars have a relatively average 53.1% touchdown rate. To keep up, the Panthers need to prevent Jacksonville from scoring touchdowns on at least half of their red zone trips.

3. Monitor Etienne’s performance The performance of Travis Etienne, the running back for the Star Jaguars, has significantly declined in the latter half of the season. Before the team’s Week 9 bye (when they had a record of 6-2), he was averaging 22.6 touches for 106.1 yards and had scored a total of 8 touchdowns. However, since then, he has only had 15.4 touches for 61.4 yards and 2 touchdowns, coinciding with the team’s record of 2-5. It is crucial for the Panthers to prevent Etienne from gaining over 100 total yards, as this could lead to a challenging afternoon for their defense.

Numbers to know

In their most recent 7 games, the Jaguars have given away possessions 15 times, while the Panthers have only given away 6 times.

Bryce Young’s recent performance has seen him average 8.0 yards per pass attempt in his last two games, ranking him 4th among NFL players. However, prior to this, he had only managed an average of 5.3 yards per attempt, placing him at the bottom of the list.

Both teams are strong in their punting abilities. The Jaguars have an average of 43.8 net yards per punt (ranked 4th in the NFL), while the Panthers have an average of 43.2 net yards (ranked 5th).

Evan Engram, the tight end for the Jaguars, has been quite occupied recently. He has accumulated 34 receptions, 300 receiving yards, and 3 touchdowns in the past four games, all of which resulted in losses for Jacksonville.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have an interesting feature at their stadium – two pools that they refer to as “spas.” Each pool can accommodate up to 20 people. However, in order to enjoy this luxury, one must purchase a special cabana ticket. These tickets are sold in groups of 50 for a whopping $12,500, which breaks down to $250 per ticket.

Source: wralsportsfan.com