Panthers influence guiding Bills to possible AFC Championship glory
By Dean Jones
The Carolina Panthers’ connection with the Buffalo Bills has them primed for a shot at the AFC Championship and a possible Super Bowl.
It is easy for fans of the Carolina Panthers to cast an envious eye on what’s transpiring with the Buffalo Bills. The organization has come on leaps and bounds over the last two years and they will now get the chance to compete for an AFC Championship and a potential Super Bowl appearance next weekend.
Their fanbase has suffered for a long time. So few would argue they aren’t deserving of such recognition.
However, their strong links to the Panthers and previous personnel on and off the field might be seen as a “what might have been” scenario for Carolina.
That’s not to say the Panthers aren’t heading in the right direction under head coach Matt Rhule, even if their 5-11 record would state otherwise. The former Baylor man has overseen some substantial changes across the roster and will also be working with a new general manager in Scott Fitterer in the coming weeks in the hope of getting them back into the playoff picture.
The Bills are already there.
And if their dominant display in the divisional round against the Baltimore Ravens is any indication, they might just have a shot at winning it all.
Buffalo’s organization is littered with former players, coaches, and people behind the scenes that once worked for the Panthers. This is a testament to the solid platform most of them received in Carolina, which has enabled all to play a part in the Bills’ incredible rise back to prominence.