The Panthers defense is healthy and loaded for what Stafford sees as their best challenge of the year

Nick Scott played with Stafford in L.A. He appreciates the QBs words but also understands the veteran knows how to play the gamesmanship card.

“He’s probably just trying to butter us up a little bit,” Scott grinned. “But, no, he’s a good dude and I appreciate him saying that.

“Coach E (defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero), (defensive passing game coordinator Jonathan) Cooley, Noddy (secondary coach Renaldo Hill), all those guys, I mean, they’ve created a lot of clarity in this back end; they did a tremendous job developing the guys and making sure that we fully understand not only the game plan but how this defense is supposed to operate from a whole, and then it just comes down to communication at that point.”