*Panthers coach Ron Rivera called what happened in the Browns-Steelers game last night "a truly unfortunate set of circumstances.'' He hears his players talk about it and said his players asked him what he thought about the incident, but "I don't delve into it because it's a very touchy subject.''
*The Panthers ruled cornerback Ross Cockrell (quad) out for Sunday's game against Atlanta. Corner Donte Jackson (hip) is questionable and LT Dennis Daley (groin) is doubtful. CB James Bradberry, who missed last week's game at Green Bay, is good to go as he said on Thursday.
Success against Julio Jones could pay off for Panthers' James Bradberry
James Bradberry has had some of his best efforts defending one of the NFL’s best receivers. That’s why the Panthers (5-4) are thankful he appears ready to return for Sunday’s game against Atlanta after missing last Sunday's loss in Green Bay with a groin injury.
“He’s setting himself up for that same payday [Norman got]," free safety Tre Boston said of Bradberry, a 2016 second-round pick out of Samford. Bradberry hopes so, not just because of the way he defends Jones but also the way he plays the opponent’s top receiver every week.“I wouldn’t say he completes me," Bradberry said of Jones. “But he definitely gets me going."
Jones, with 751 career receptions for 11,522 yards and 55 touchdowns, has been targeted at least 10 times vs. eight different nearest defenders around the NFL in the past four seasons. That average jumps to 13.4 against other Carolina defensive backs during that span.
Bradberry’s effectiveness against Jones was highlighted during last year’s Week 2 loss to the Falcons. Jones was coming off a 10-catch, 169-yard game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Bradberry held him to five catches on nine targets for 64 yards and no touchdowns. In their Week 6 matchup, Jones had a touchdown but was limited to four catches for 28 yards with Bradberry shadowing him. Perhaps the best example of Bradberry’s value against Jones came in 2016, Bradberry's rookie season. In the first game, Bradberry left on the first series with a toe injury and Jones had 12 catches for 300 yards and a touchdowns. Fourteen weeks later, a healthy Bradberry limited Jones to four catches for 60 yards.
Atlanta (2-7: 1-4 Away, 1-0 NFC South) vs Carolina (5-4: 2-2 Home, 1-1 NFC South)