Eagles Film Review: Carson Wentz faces tough test vs. deceptive Panthers' defense

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Carson Wentz has been great through the first five games of the season. In the sixth, he will see something from the Panthers' defense that could confuse him if he's not ready. Unlike the Cardinals, the Panthers refuse to show their hand (the coverage they are in) early. Here is an example:

Under the arrow is Panthers safety Colin Jones. With Jones' middle-of-the-field alignment, an opposing quarterback could diagnose the defense as either cover 0, 1, or 3. Cover 0 and 1 are man-to-man coverage; Cover 3 is zone-coverage.

Based off the pre-snap read, the slot receiver (1) on the out-route is the primary read. After the snap, Carolina shifts into Cover 2. If that ball is thrown, the corner who's responsible for the flat (anything to his side that is within five yards of the line of scrimmage) can easily undercut the out-route and turn it into a defensive touchdown. Stafford is a skilled vet, so he does not take the cheese the defense is hanging in front of him. He delivers a perfect ball to the outside receiver on a fly-route in the sweet spot of Cover 2, where it is a tough play for the safety to make from the near hash.

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