http://www.authenticscarolinapanthers.com/cheap-graham-gano-jersey , a series on CSR that is intended to look at players who are playing well and highlight a few that need to step their game up. Think of it as a heat index for the Carolina Panthers; guys who are playing well are stepping up and those who aren’t need to improve their game or. . . step out.This week we’ll look at some

guys that really performed quite well before the bye and need to maintain that intensity heading into our week five bout with the New York Giants. The others mentioned, well. . . they need to play better or maybe just step out of the way and let someone else take over.Steppin’ UPChristian McCaffreyHeat Rating: Five Star Grand Theft Auto wanted levelThrough three games this season, no one on offense has made more of a consistent impact than Christian McCaffrey, and that really came to a peak during the game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Run CMC racked up nearly 200 yards from scrimmage, the vast majority of which were rushing yards as opposed to receiving. It was great to see McCaffrey both be used and be effective in a more traditional running back role, and I would hate to be the Giants staring down the barrel of that particular gun right now.Cam Newton“Drip” level: Trying to sleep surrounded by leaky faucets with half filled bowls beneath themCam Newton continues what has so far been an excellent season under freshman offensive coordinator Norv Turner and his surprisingly tailored offense. I couldn’t imagine coming into this year it would be the defense that draws most of my ire, but here we are. Cam has been more accurate, more poised both in and out of the pocket, and is making good decisions pertaining to when to run it himself, pass it, or hand it off. His completion percentage Michael Palardy Jersey , touted as “the must have stat” by all arm-chair analysts the world over, continues to rise. He is finally “elite.”Efe ObadaHeat Rating: A balmy summer day on the shores of Essex (I assume)Everyone’s favorite new breakout player had himself one hell of a game against the Bengals. He logged a sack, and easily could have two if not for those pesky replay officials, as well as a heads up interception to help throw the game in the bag. Time will tell if Efe can maintain this momentum and show himself to be capable as more than just a speed rush type, because if the offensive lineman did get his hands on him, he was not very good at disengaging. Still, it’s an encouraging sign to see a guy who has worked so hard to get to where he is have a moment or two of glory.Steppin’ OUTShaq ThompsonCold Rating: A bonfire that has burned down to mostly ashTo be clear, I like Shaq Thompson overall. I think he is going to be a fine player for us for a long time. But after a hot start, his play has cooled in recent weeks, and we’re starting to notice the absence of Thomas Davis more and more. He’s not been a sure tackler in these last couple of contests, and even his coverage has been lacking Authentic Cam Newton Jersey , supposedly a highlight of his game.Captain MunnerlynCold Rating: Frozen Fish SticksFor a guy who did a lot of talking about his usage during the offseason, he hasn’t done much to inspire confidence that he is a reliable nickel corner. I don’t necessarily see an alternative to him on the roster, or one that I know much about, but we have seen a lot of third receivers make an impact on his watch. To the naked eye, he seems a few steps slow on his coverage, and it has been glaring with the play of James Bradberry and Donte Jackson really jumping off the screen.The Panthers ranked 9th in defensive DVOA in 2017 thanks to effective red zone defense To prepare for the 2018 season, Cat Scratch Reader sent five questions to Football Outsiders to get a feel on what we should expect from the Panthers in 2018. Scott Kacsmar from FO was kind enough to answer our questions, and each day this week we will share one question and answer to foster discussion here at CSR.Yesterday, our question centered around the upgrades the Panthers have made to the receiver corps. Today, we move to the defense.The Panthers were 20th in yards allowed per play last year, but ended the season ranked 9th in Defensive DVOA. Is the Panthers defense legit or were their stats buoyed a bit by the slow pace of the offense last season?It’s comforting to know that the Panthers defense did fairly well against tough competition last year (except for the Saints Youth Luke Kuechly Jersey , of course). While the bend but don’t break defense that we employ is probably the cause of most of our health issues, it was effective at preventing opponents from scoring last year. Hopefully that trend continues in 2018, and it would be even better if we can figure out a way to stop the Saints from racking up points against us for a change.What do you think, Panthers fans? Do you think the defense can repeat their effectiveness in the red zone this year, or do you think last season was just a fluke? Share your thoughts with us!Also, be sure to stay tuned for the fifth and final question and answer with Kacsmar tomorrow, where we’ll focus on one of our defensive veterans who happens to be chasing a bit of history in 2018!You can purchase the 2018 Football Outsider’s Almanac in PDF form for just $20 by clicking here.