Extremely early Carolina Panthers game-by-game 2022 record prediction

Carolina Panthers at Cincinnati Bengals

Another tricky road trip for the Carolina Panthers in Week 9. The Cincinnati Bengals went from playoff also-rans to AFC champions in 2021 after an extraordinary run to the Super Bowl, where they were narrowly beaten by the Los Angeles Rams to prevent their fairytale from having a happy ending.

The Bengals have been incredibly active during the offseason. They have a revamped offensive line that will do a much better job of protecting quarterback Joe Burrow and provide the likes of Joe Mixon with more space to do damage in the running game.

Couple this with some dynamic wide receivers led by Ja’Mar Chase and an ever-improving defense, there is a lot to like about Cincinnati’s chances of mounting a bold bid next time around despite the increased standard across the conference.

This will be a good mid-season measuring stick for the Panthers. Although just who will be starting at quarterback by this point is anybody’s guess.

Week 9 Prediction: Loss (3-6)

Carolina could cause a major upset and Matt Rhule is overdue for a signature win. But it’s hard to look at how strong the Bengals are right now and think it will come here, leaving the Panthers at 3-6 in this scenario and with far more questions than answers.