Carolina Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart will likely return in time to face the Seattle Seahawks in the Divisional round of the NFL playoffs, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Stewart has been dealing with a foot injury that forced him out of the team's Week 17 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Panthers expect Jonathan Stewart back against Seahawks’ top-ranked rush defense
Stewart should give his team a boost against Seattle’s tough run defense.
Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports
Stewart became the primary running back for the Panthers when DeAngelo Williams departed in free agency this offseason, and he treated the 15-1 Panthers to 989 yards, six touchdowns and a per-carry average of 4.1 yards. Stewart missed three games in the regular season and has only played a complete 16-game season three times in his eight-year career.
The Panthers will be glad to have Stewart back against Seattle's top-ranked rushing defense, as opponents average 3.6 yards per carry and 81.5 yards per game against the Seahawks. Seattle held Adrian Peterson to just 45 yards on 23 carries and kept the Vikings to just 58 total yards on the ground in the Wild Card round of the playoffs.
When the Panthers beat the Seahawks in the regular season, Stewart rushed for 78 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 20 carries. The team rushed for 135 yards as a whole.
In Carolina's last game, Mike Tolbert led the way with 59 yards rushing, while Cameron Artis-Payne was the top rusher with 49 yards the week before. Quarterback Cam Newton is second on the team in rushing yardage with 636 yards.
Fozzy Whittaker is dealing with an ankle injury and his status for the game is unclear.
Carolina’s rushing attack has been one of the best in the league, though that does have a lot to do with Newton’s ability to get around the outside and surprise defenses. The Panthers rank second in the league in rushing yards this season, with 142.6 yards per game on the ground.
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