Whether Carolina Panthers fans are prepared for it or not, the 2016 Josh Norman Bowl will finally take place this week. They’ll see their team, in its second Monday Night Football contest of the season, take on former Panthers cornerback Josh Norman and his Washington Redskins.
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In their last Monday nighter back in Week 5, Carolina ended up on the bitter end of an ugly divisional clash with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, dropping to 1-4 after a 17-14 defeat. But will the spotlight be brighter for the Panthers this time around.
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Announcers: Sean McDonough, Jon Gruden, Lisa Salters
Coverage Area: ESPN – Monday Night football – Nationally
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Week 17: Carolina Panthers vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers
It's not officially the Josh Norman Bowl, though it sure feels that way in the lead up to Monday night's game in Landover between the Panthers (5-8) and the Redskins (7-5-1).
The Redskins are still in the thick of the NFC playoff race and desperately need a win, but the subplot of Norman facing his old team has been unavoidable for eight months after an ugly offseason divorce.
Norman, who got a massive $75 million deal from the Redskins after the Panthers rescinded his franchise tag, only upped the ante when he told reporters this week that he felt "stabbed in the back" by Panthers GM Dave Gettleman.
"He'd always been nice to me. He always was smiling, cracking jokes with us. But when you're smiling and cracking jokes, you never know behind your back it's totally different," Norman told the Charlotte Observer. "When it comes down to it, I guess it's all about money than it is relationships."
And now it's about payback.
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The Panthers have missed Norman immensely this season, and Kirk Cousins and a dangerous Redskins vertical passing attack featuring DeSean Jackson and Jamison Crowder will look to expose the Panthers' duo of rookie corners, James Bradberry and Daryl Worley.
Norman, meanwhile, would love nothing more than to pick on his former team and Cam Newton, who has struggled with his accuracy in an underwhelming sequel to his 2015 MVP season.
Newton, for his part, told reporters this week that he can't become consumed with one player.
"It's not a game about him vs. us," Newton said. "We just need to win this game.
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Washington's game plan will likely hem closely to how Kirk Cousins attacked Green Bay in a prime-time game in November. Cousins threw for 375 yards and three touchdowns that night.
On defense, the Redskins have struggled to contain tight ends, which could mean a big night for Cam Newton's favorite safety valve, Greg Olsen, who has 907 receiving yards. Only the Chiefs' Travis Kelce has more receiving yards among NFL tight ends. Washington's injuries at linebacker (Will Compton and Su'a Cravens) could also make containing Newton -- who has run for 317 yards this season -- more of a challenge
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