4 major hurdles the Carolina Panthers must overcome in 2022
By Preston Seyl
How can the Carolina Panthers win the NFC South?
Perhaps the biggest hurdle facing the Carolina Panthers in 2022 is winning the NFC South. Tom Brady is back with a loaded wide receiver room that just got better in the offseason, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers suffered multiple injuries to the offensive line that cannot be ignored in the grand scheme of things.
The Panthers could take advantage and get after Brady in their two meetings. The New Orleans Saints have provided the blueprint to beating the legendary signal-caller by shifting him off his spot and making him as uncomfortable as possible.
The loss of Sean Payton has left questions for the Saints this season. They boast weapons, but the departure of their potential Pro Football Hall of Fame head coach should give the Panthers opportunities to take advantage in the first year under Dennis Allen.
New Orleans has an excellent defense. The signings of Tyrann Mathieu and Marcus Maye to complement Marshon Lattimore has the scope to be special and it’ll be exciting to see how Carolina’s new look offense stacks up.
The Atlanta Falcons are still in the rebuilding stage. They have lots of holes on both offense and defense that could result in another indifferent campaign under Arthur Smith.
While Kyle Pitts and Drake London will be a good duo, they need time to develop as given their age and the depth behind them also remains a concern. The defense also has many holes coming into the 2022 season, although Atlanta has an elite cornerback to call upon in A.J. Terrell.
With all that being said, this is a great opportunity for the Panthers to take the division title. Something that would send shockwaves across the league.