4 things Panthers fans can look forward to after the 2022 bye week
By Dean Jones
What things can Carolina Panthers fans look forward to after the team returns following their well-deserved period of rest in Week 13?
With just five games remaining for the Carolina Panthers in 2022, there is still plenty to play for. Their notable turnaround under interim head coach Steve Wilks since Matt Rhule’s firing indicates growth and increased professionalism within a culture that’s rapidly returning to what formed the fabric of the organization’s success during their glory years, which is more than even the brightest optimism could have hoped for.
Whether this comes with legitimate progress and a shock divisional title remains to be seen. But the fact Carolina is still in slight contention is everything you need to know about Wilks’ influence on a young, dynamic roster that appears to be just a few pieces away from challenging.
Although some fans have already turned their attention to another important offseason for the franchise, there are storylines aplenty to monitor closely in the coming weeks before the 2022 campaign comes to a conclusion.
On this subject, we picked out four things Carolina’s long-suffering supporters can look forward to after the bye week.
Thing No. 1
Carolina Panthers have a Christmas Eve game at home
There promises to be a festive feel to the Carolina Panthers’ final home game in 2022. A Christmas Eve clash against the Detroit Lions is a great opportunity for this team to send its fans home feeling happy before the big day, although Dan Campbell’s men won’t be rolling over by any stretch.
The Lions are following a similar path to last season. They started poorly but are now coming on significantly thanks to a superb display of effort, much better offensive production than expected, and outstanding physicality in the trenches that Carolina must be ready for.
This will be a feel-good game with plenty going on. But for Steve Wilks, winning is all that matters before two road games against NFC South rivals to close out the season.