Panthers HC Matt Rhule knows stopping Quinnen Williams is key to Week 1

Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule doesn’t know New York Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams too well. But he knows enough to realize the third-year stud can completely blow up his team’s chances on Sunday.

When talking to reporters following Friday’s practice, Rhule said he hasn’t seen any 2021 preseason tape on the 6-foot-3, 303-pound wrecking ball, but is pretty aware of his capabilities ahead of the season opener. In fact, he gave us an impromptu scouting report on the 23-year-old.

“Going back and watching him on tape—just explosive, dynamic, tremendous speed, sideline-to-sideline, plays with great length, has a vast array of pass-rush moves,” Rhule listed.

He also knows a major key to any football game is winning in the trenches. That’ll be a tall order for Carolina’s shaky offensive line, who will be facing more than just Williams in Week 1.

“And you combine him, you have [Folorunso] Fatukasi on the other side. You got some big, powerful, strong men. Sheldon Rankins. They’ve got a tremendously strong defensive line. So I do think that’ll be one of the keys.”

Rankins is no stranger to the Panthers either. A former New Orleans Saint, the sixth-year lineman has totaled 13 combined tackles and three quarterback hits over his eight games played against Carolina.

Rhule then continued on Williams.

“Any time you go against a great player, you recognize the fact that he is a great player. So we have to work as a team, together. The entire five offensive linemen, all of us working together to make sure that we execute what we’re trying to get done.”

They’ll have to work together without their starting right guard John Miller, who will miss the game while sitting on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Dennis Daley will be the next man up alongside Cameron Erving, Pat Elflein, Matt Paradis and Taylor Moton.