This football game pits two teams against each other that are moving in different directions.  The Panthers are rolling and have won 4 straight games, while the Bengals have lost their last two games.

The Panthers are starting to click on offense.  Steve Smith is finally healthy and that will cause huge problems for the Bengals defense.  Smith already has 31 receptions for 450 yards this season.  But the Panthers will not come out throwing in this game….not with the Bengals run defense allowing 140.4 yards per game and 4.7 yards per carry!  Look for DeShaun Foster to have a huge game against the Bengals defense.  Foster has 431 yards rushing (3.8 ypc) this season and will add many more by the time this game is over.  QB Jake Delhomme has played well this season (1,343 yards passing, 83 QB rating).  Look for Delhomme to throw the ball after the Panthers establish their running game.  Smith and Keyshawn Johnson (32 rec, 419 yards) form a deadly combination at wide-out so the Bengals DBs will have their hands full.

When the Bengals have the football, look for them to try to run the ball with Rudi Johnson (405 yards rushing) against a Panther run defense that is allowing 115.0 yards rushing per game and 4.0 yards per carry.  Also, look for Carson Palmer (1,178 yards passing, 90.1 QB rate) to throw short passes to TJ Houshmandzadeh (23 rec, 291 yards) and Chad Johnson (24 rec, 300 yards) because the line has had trouble with protecting on long passes.  Palmer has already been sacked 17 times this season, and DE Julius Peppers already has 8 sacks by himself! 

This should be a good football game that will probably be decided by who protects the football better…..Jake Delhomme or Carson Palmer.