NFL Carolina Panthers

Greg Olsen Will Be X-Factor For Carolina Panthers In Week 6

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By @nick_villano

Greg Olsen

Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

The Carolina Panthers and the Cincinnati Bengals had very different games on Sunday. The Panthers had a great comeback against the Chicago Bears where they turned a 14-point deficit into a seven-point victory, while the Bengals went up against the New England Patriots after a week’s worth of the media talking about how the team was done. It wasn’t a good night for the Bengals, as they were dominated 43-17.

Coming into this matchup, both teams need a win. The Bengals want to show that they are still one of the better teams in the NFL, while the Panther have been inconsistent against some serious competition. Cincinnati is only a half game up on the trailing Baltimore Ravens, and Carolina is holding on to a one-game lead on the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints.

When you look for someone who can make a big impact, you have to look at the most important players on each team. Through five weeks, Greg Olsen has 326 yards and two touchdowns. On a team that lost almost every wide receiver, Olsen is the only constant in the passing game. Cam Newton has focused on him for a good portion of their games.

While there are plenty of other players who have helped keep the Panthers over .500, the matchup shows that Olsen could be a No. 1 target. The Bengals are one of the worst teams against tight ends. The Patriots killed them with their tight end combination of Rob Gronkowski and Tim Wright, who had a combined 185 yards and two touchdowns.

If the Bengals want to avoid being embarrassed for the second time in a row, they need a different game plan. They cannot let their current linebackers, some of whom are injured, try and slow down Olsen. Even if they do, it will probably open things up for Kelvin Benjamin. That is what makes Olsen the ultimate X-factor in this game.

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