4 key takeaways from the Panthers 2021 schedule release
By Dean Jones
A crucial stretch
The Carolina Panthers face a crucial stretch of games from Week 9-12, which will undoubtedly have significant ramifications on their fortunes next season. If they can come out of this run with a positive record, then a possible return to the playoffs for the first time under head coach Matt Rhule is not entirely out of the question.
Carolina might be a work in progress initially as new arrivals adjust. But there shouldn’t be many complications in this regard considering there are preseason games planned this year and a more structured period of OTAs and training camp that simply wasn’t there in 2020 thanks to COVID-19 health concerns.
This will be a testing stretch for the Panthers, to put it mildly. They will come up against the New England Patriots, Arizona Cardinals, Washington Football Team, and Miami Dolphins, so we’ll find out plenty about this group over and what fans can expect from them not only this season but also in the years to come.
It’s an exciting and nervous time where the Panthers are concerned. There is clearly more purpose and direction in the front office than there’s been in quite some time. But whether this can transition into wins on the field is another matter entirely.
One thing is for sure, it’s going to be fascinating to see how things transpire. No more so than in this particular run of fixtures.