Denver Broncos

Behind Enemy Lines: One-on-One with Cat Crave

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Aug 20, 2016; Nashville, TN, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) passes against the Tennessee Titans during the first half at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports

Predominantly Orange and Cat Crave chat once again as I get to chat with Kenan Goyette from the Panthers site and get his takes on the game between the Broncos and Panthers.

The Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers do battle once again as the two teams will face off in a Super Bowl rematch.

Denver got the best of Carolina back in February, when Von Miller and the defense made things tough on Cam Newton and the Panthers offense in a 24-10 victory. The victory gave the Broncos their third Lombardi Trophy.

Now, it is a brand new season and both teams are almost new. Players from the February matchup have left and some new ones have been added. But there is no doubt that the Panthers are looking to remove the bad taste from their mouths from that game.

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During Super Bowl week, we got to talk to Cat Crave and get their takes on the game. Now I have sat one-on-one with Kenan Goyette from the Panthers FanSided site. I see what he thinks of the Carolina Panthers offseason from the loss to the Broncos to this moment right here.

We take a close look and see what the Carolina Panthers have done since the loss. And get his takes from the Thursday night showdown in Denver.

Without further ado, here is our Q&A session with Kenan Goyette of Cat Crave.

Jul 28, 2016; Spartanburg, SC, USA; Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Vernon Butler (92) goes up against defensive tackle Kawann Short (99) during the training camp at Wofford College. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

Question #1

What are your takes on the Carolina Panthers offseason? Is there one thing that has surprised you?

“The Panthers offseason was an equal mix of good and bad. On the downside, and probably the biggest offseason surprise, is the obvious with the Josh Norman incident which has left the team with a rather nerve-racking situation at cornerback.”

“Another thing listed in the “bad” would have to be the inability to get a deal done with Kawann Short. Obviously there’s time yet next offseason to work that out but I’m sure the team would have liked to get it done as soon as possible.”

“There’s still plenty of good though in Carolina. For one, they lost very few pieces to their 2015 NFC Championship team and if anything have gotten stronger in certain areas (wide receiver, defensive line).”

Feb 7, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Denver Broncos linebacker Von Miller (58) forces a fumble as he hits Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl 50 at Levi

Question #2

What must the Carolina Panthers do in order to prevent the Denver Broncos defense getting to Cam Newton?

“To help keep Cam Newton upright and avoid a repeat of Super Bowl 50, the Panthers must give help to tackles Michael Oher and Mike Remmers. As solid as they’ve been for the most part, this Denver D was too much to handle for them and as such, Panthers offensive coordinator Mike Shula needs to either provide more protection and help up from, or try to scheme and playcall in a way to keep Von Miller and Demarcus Ware off balance.”

Aug 26, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin (13) catches a pass against New England Patriots cornerback Cyrus Jones (24) in the third quarter at Bank of America Stadium. The Patriots defeated the Panthers 19-17. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

Question #3

How do you think the return of Kelvin Benjamin will impact the Panthers offense?

“The return of a receiver like Kelvin Benjamin to an offense that led the league in scoring without him can’t be understated. He should step right in as the number one threat and while his numbers might not show it, the presence he brings to the field will draw attention and defenders away from guys like Greg Olsen and Devin Funchess and allow Newton to find and exploit the best matchup.”

Aug 11, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Washington Redskins defensive back Josh Norman (24) shown on the field after the game against the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome. The Falcons defeated the Redskins 23-17. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Question #4

How do you think the Panthers defense will perform without Josh Norman in the secondary?

“While the Panthers’ scheme may have helped Norman flourish, his talent can’t be taken for granted and to some degree Carolina will certainly miss having him.”

“That said, the offseason and preseason showing from second-round rookie James Bradberry has the team excited. Physically, he’s almost a perfect clone of Norman and has shown to be at the very least a reliable rookie performer that can help out.”

“Overall, the team’s pass defense may take a hit, but the front seven should once again be good enough to help them out in a big way.”

Aug 5, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Devin Funchess (17) during FanFest at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

Question #5

Who do you believe is the Carolina Panthers’ X-Factor for this Week 1 matchup against the Denver Broncos?

“The X-factor for Carolina in this season opener could be any number of players like Remmers or even Benjamin but I’m going with Devin Funchess.”

“Through the offseason and preseason he’s reportedly looked incredible and with Benjamin and Olsen sure to draw the most attention, it’ll be up to Funchess to get himself open and make plays for this offense.”

Thank You Kenan for taking the opportunity to talk with us!

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