3 Panthers position groups that must step up vs. the Patriots in Week 9

Which Carolina Panthers position groups must step up in Week 9 against the New England Patriots to stay in the playoff race?

Week 8 was where the tide turned. The four-game losing streak came to a halt as the Carolina Panthers picked up their fourth win of the season to get back to .500. Seems to be a fitting place as Week 9 represents the halfway point of the newly expanded 17-game regular season.

By this time, clubs should have a general idea of their team’s strengths and weaknesses, so breaking down game film of opponents will be key in the latter half of the season to identify any tendencies, tells, or inclinations.

The weather will start to play more of a factor in games going down the stretch both in terms of play-calling and how athletes respond to the cold. To stick with the positive aspect of getting back to 4-4, if the regular season ended today, the Panthers would occupy the final Wild Card spot in the NFC.

The New England Patriots are also sitting at 4-4 and are second in the AFC East behind the Josh Allen-led Buffalo Bills. This was supposed to be Cam Newton’s long-awaited return to the Carolinas to face his old team, but instead of the matchup many fans anticipated a mere three months ago, we will see former Alabama signal-caller Mac Jones under center this Sunday.

This is not the same team that has ruled the division for the better part of the last two decades. Yes, Bill Belichick is still leading the charge, but with an entirely different group of athletes than those who won the Super Bowl in 2019.

The Panthers are back at Bank of American Stadium after two weeks on the road at the New York Giants and Atlanta Falcons. We are at a pivotal point of the season where it is plausible the team could go 3-1 over the next four contests before reaching their bye in Week 13.

Standing at 7-5 going into a week of rest will be necessary to have a shot at holding onto a Wild Card slot with the tough schedule from Week 14 on. This crucial stretch begins Sunday by taking care of business at home.

With this in mind, which Panthers position groups must step up to beat the Patriots in Week 9?