Panthers: ESPN projects Panthers finish at 10-6 in 2018
The Carolina Panthers schedule came out and so did a schedule prediction from ESPN.
Following the National Football League schedule release on Thursday, ESPN compiled a game-by-game breakdown of all 32 schedules. The Carolina Panthers were no exception. David Newton of ESPN.com projected the Panthers going 10-6.
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The six losses Newton listed were Atlanta (Week 2), Philadelphia (Week 7), Pittsburgh (Week 10), Seattle (Week 12), Atlanta (Week 16), and New Orleans (Week 17).
I see the Carolina Panthers going 11-5. I don’t think they will lose to Atlanta twice. If anything, they will beat the Falcons in Week 2. Week 16 I could see them losing because it is a “trap game” of sorts. It is near the end of the season, and although teams hate to admit it, they are looking toward the playoffs at that point. Especially if the Panthers are in a position where they are firmly in control of either the division lead or a playoff spot, they could very easily take their foot off the gas pedal.
With that being said, Weeks 16 and 17 could also prove to be very pivotal. Especially if the Panthers are in a tight divisional race, those games could have major implications.
The fact that the NFC South is so competitive will make things challenging for the Panthers. However, they have retooled and restocked on both sides of the football. If anything, they have put themselves in a better position to be prepared for the grind. With so many stars in the division, it should be fun to see how this all plays out.
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The NFC South is wide open and that is a great thing for fans of the National Football League. With so many divisions having a clear-cut winner before the season even starts (AFC East, I’m looking at you) it is refreshing to have a certain level of parity within the league.