4 biggest challenges against the Raiders in Week 1
By Dean Jones
Chemistry
One glaring problem that is going to be there for all to see is team chemistry. The Carolina Panthers underwent a significant makeover during the offseason and with no preseason games to build cohesion, it remains to be seen whether everything is going to click into place from the outset.
This could become a real challenge against a Raiders team that has a good blend of youth and experience. Going through such a drastic rebuild was always going to cause complications initially. But this is something that should develop quickly once everybody gets up to game speed.
Having an extended training camp was a welcome boost for a Panthers coaching staff that is relatively devoid of any real experience in the NFL. The high tempo during team drills was evident from the off. But there is no substitute for getting across the lines and working together on the field.
There is a chance that everything clicks into place right away. Things have gone well at camp but the fact of the matter remains that this is virtually an entirely new roster that the Panthers are taking into the season.
The NFL takes no prisoners and has no sentiment for teams looking to find their feet. If Carolina isn’t ready to go at Bank of America Stadium from a chemistry perspective on Sunday, then they will pay the price.