The Panthers have released 31-year old offensive guard Reggie Wells.  Wells played in 5 games (0 starts) for the Panthers this year.  He has now played in 117 games (91 starts) in his first 9 years in the NFL.  The Panthers are blocking pretty well right now, both in the running and passing game, so they shouldn’t miss Wells too much…if at all.

The Carolina Panthers have two excellent RBs in 28-year old DeAngelo Williams and 24-year old Jonathan Stewart, but they don’t run the ball enough for those guys to make a huge impact.  DeAngelo Williams has played in 11 games so far this year for the Panthers and he has carried the ball 108 times for 540 yards (5.0 ypc) with 3 TD runs.  He has also caught 11 passes for 93 yards (8.5 avg) so far this season.  Williams has benefitted a little bit from the smaller workload, as he has stayed healthy this year after a injury filled 2010.  Jonathan Stewart is also a really solid back as he is more of a power runner than Williams is.  Stewart has carried the ball 93 times for 442 yards (4.8 ypc) with 2 TD runs so far this year.  He has also caught 36 passes for 341 yards (9.5 avg) so far this year.  Williams and Stewart would each be featured backs on another team, but they share the ball with the Panthers.  The Panthers need to start running the ball more if they want to start winning some games.

The Panthers had to work hard for this win as the Colts came to play today.  Cam Newton was efficient in this game as he completed 20 of 27 passes for 208 yards without a TD pass or INT.  He also carried the ball 9 times for 53 yards (5.9 ypc) with 1 TD run today.  Jonathan Stewart led the way on the ground for the Panthers in this game with 70 yards rushing on 10 carries (7.0 ypc) and he also caught 3 passes for 12 yards.  DeAngelo Williams pitched in with 69 yards rushing on 15 carries (4.6 ypc) with 2 TD runs in this game for the Panthers.  WR Steve Smith (3 rec, 68 yards) and Brandon LaFell (5 rec, 46 yards) led the way for the Panthers in the passing game today.  The Panthers finished up with 201 yards rushing on 35 carries (5.7 ypc) and they also completed 20 of 27 passes (74.1%) for 176 yards as they had possession of the ball for 36:17.

The defense was solid when it had to be for the Panthers today.  LBs Jordan Senn and James Anderson led the way for the Panthers’ on D with 10 tackles apiece.  Safety Charles Godfrey also had a solid game with 6 tackles, 1 sack, 1 pass defensed and 1 QB hit today.  Safety Sherrod Martin and CB Chris Gamble each pitched in with 1 interception apiece today.  The Colts finished up with 105 yards rushing on 23 carries (4.6 ypc) and they also completed 15 of 29 passes (51.7%) for 218 yards in this game.  The Panthers improve to 3-8 on the season.

The Panthers have released 25-year old FB Jerome Felton.  Felton played in 9 games for the Panthers this year in which he carried the ball 3 times for 10 yards (3.3 ypc) and he also caught 2 passes for 24 yards (12.0 avg).  He has now played in 51 games in his first four years in the NFL and he has carried the ball 42 times for 136 yards (3.2 ypc).  Felton has also caught 32 passes for 264 yards (8.3 avg) so far in his career.  Felton wanted the ball more, while the Panthers wanted him to block better.

The Panthers have lost three games in a row, but this is a chance to get back on the right track against the Colts.  Still, the Panthers are 0-4 on the road this year, so you never know.  The Colts played decent in their first three home games this year, but they have lost their last two by a combined score of 48-10.  Here is a look at the matchups in this game:

When the Panthers have the ball:  This game is just what the doctor ordered to get Cam Newton back on the right track.  The Colts don’t rush the QB well anymore (15 sacks), so Newton should have time to throw the ball.  The Colts are giving up 245.0 yards passing per game so far this year and opposing QBs have a sterling 109.7 QB Rating against them.  Newton should have little trouble getting the ball down the field to WR Steve Smith.  He will also be able to spread the ball around to TE Greg Olsen, TE Jeremy Shockey and WR Legedu Naanee too.  Jonathan Stewart, DeAngelo Williams and Cam Newton should have little trouble in moving the ball on the ground against a Colts’ D that is giving up 145.6 yards rushing per game and 4.1 yards per carry.

When the Colts have the ball:  The Colts have only scored 27 points in their last four games, but they have not played a defense as poor as the Panthers in those games.  To me, Curtis Painter is by far the worst starting QB in the NFL right now.  So if I were the Panthers, I would be more concerned with stopping their running game and dare Painter to beat them with his arm.  The Colts have the backs (D0nald Brown and Delone Carter) to run the ball, but they seem to favor tossing the rock as if Peyton Manning were still under center.  The Panthers will likely double Pierre Garcon as he has developed into Painter’s favorite WR.  They will take their chances man to man with Reggie Wayne.

PREDICTION:  PANTHERS 41, COLTS 20

22-year old QB Cam Newton looked really good early this year for the Panthers, but he has looked like the rookie he is in his last couple games.  In Newton’s last two games, he has completed 45 of 78 passes (57.7%) for 492 yards with 1 TD pass and 5 INTs.  Overall this year, Newton’s numbers still look solid.  He has played in 10 games for the Panthers so far this year and he has completed 219 of 365 passes (60%) for 2,885 yards with 12 TD passes and 14 INTs (80.0 QB Rating).  He has also carried the ball 77 times for 411 yards (5.3 ypc) with 9 TD runs so far this year.  Newton’s 9 TD runs have already broke Vince Young’s NFL record (8 rushing TDs), and he still has six games to go.

The Carolina Panthers raced off to a 27-14 lead at the half, before the Lions exploded in the second half.  The Panthers did tie the game at 35 apiece, but they just couldn’t stop the Lions the rest of the way.  Cam Newton made more big plays for the Lions than he did for the Panthers today.  He completed 22 of 38 passes for 280 yards with 1 TD pass and 4 INTs.  He also carried the ball 7 times for 37 yards (5.3 ypc) with 1 TD run.  DeAngelo Williams led the way on the ground for the Panthers today with 10 carries for 73 yards (7.3 ypc) and he also caught 1 pass for 32 yards.  Jonathan Stewart pitched in with 22 yards rushing on 8 carries (2.8 ypc) and he also caught 6 passes for 87 yards (14.5 avg) in this game.  WRs Brandon LaFell (3 rec, 51 yards) and Steve Smith (5 rec, 41 yards, TD) also pitched in for the Panthers in the passing game today.  Rookie WR Kealoha Pilares had a huge play in the game for the Panthers as he returned a kickoff 101 yards for a TD.  The Panthers finished up with 137 yards rushing on 26 carries (5.3 ypc) and they also completed 22 of 38 passes (57.9%) for 272 yards as they had possession of the ball for 26:53.

The defense was pathetic today for the Panthers, plain and simple.  LB James Anderson (10 tackles, 2 passes defensed and 1 interception) and safety Charles Godfrey (8 tackles, 2 passes defensed and 1 interception) led the way for the Panthers’ D today.  DE Thomas Keiser (5 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 tackles for a loss and 2 QB hits) and DT Andre Neblett (2 tackles, 1 tackle for a loss and 1 fumble recovery) made their marks for the Panthers in this game.  The Lions finished up with 169 yards rushing on 29 carries (5.8 ypc) and they also completed 28 of 36 passes (77.8%) for 326 yards.  The Panthers are now 2-8 on the season.

The Carolina Panthers got pasted at home 30-3 last weekend by the Titans, as Cam Newton looked like the rookie that he is.  The Lions also got pasted 37-13 by the Bears in Chicago last weekend.  Neither team has been playing as well as they can lately, so the team that steps up will win this game.  Here is a look at the matchups:

When the Panthers have the ball:  If the Panthers look at the Lions’ game film, they will know that they need to run the ball.  The Lions are giving up 134.4 yards rushing per game and 4.9 yards per carry so far this year.  DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart and Cam Newton should have plenty of room to run the ball against the Lions this Sunday, and the Panthers need to keep the ball on the ground in this game.  Newton is going to have to be careful when he throws the ball as the Lions have 11 interceptions, and he’s also going to have to get rid of the ball quickly as the Lions already have 26 sacks so far this year.  Still, Newton is going to try to get the ball down the field to WR Steve Smith and on the short stuff over the middle to TEs Greg Olsen and Jeremy Shockey.

When the Lions have the ball:  The Carolina Panthers are going to have to try to get a lot of pressure on Matt Stafford.  If he has time to throw the ball, he’s likely going to have a lot of success throwing the ball this Sunday.  He has a  broken finger on his throwing hand, which could hurt him passing as he did throw four pickoffs last weekend.  Calvin Johnson is one of  the best WRs in the NFL, so they are going to have to double cover him all day long…and that might not even be enough to stop him.  Rookie WR Titus Young, WR Nate Burleson and TEs Brandon Pettigrew and Tony Scheffler give Stafford a lot of weapons to throw to.  Maurice Morris and Keiland Williams will get a few carries each in this game in an effort to keep the Panthers’ D honest.

PREDICTION:  LIONS 28, PANTHERS 23

The Panthers have released 24-year old, rookie safety Jermale Hines.  Hines played in 5 games for the Panthers this year and he had 3 tackles.  Hines was a fifth round pick of the Rams last April, but he didn’t get into any games for them.  The Panthers shouldn’t miss Hines too much going forward.

28-year old LB James Anderson didn’t play much in his first three years in the NFL.  But, he has been a starter for the last three years and he is making up for lost time.  Anderson has played in 9 games for the Panthers so far this year and he has 76 tackles, 1 sack, 1 fumble recovery, 3 passes defensed and 5 tackles for a loss.  He has now played in 75 games in his first six years with the Panthers and he has 312 tackles, 19 tackles for a loss, 7.5 sacks, 5 forced fumbles, 5 fumble recoveries, 11 passes defensed and 1 interception.