The Carolina Panthers have momentum, confidence, and every reason to feel good about themselves.
They’ve won three of their last four, including back-to-back clutch performances against the Miami Dolphins and Dallas Cowboys. Bryce Young looks more comfortable, the run game has looked unstoppable behind Rico Dowdle, and the defense, while they still have work to do, is quietly improving.
And yet, this is precisely when things get dangerous.
Carolina’s Week 7 trip to face the winless New York Jets might look like a breather, but it has all the ingredients of a classic trap game. In fact, sportsbooks had the Panthers as slight underdogs to start the week.
Carolina Panthers cannot underestimate the Jets in Week 7
The Jets are 0-6, but they’re a stubborn 0-6.
They’ve pushed playoff-caliber teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers and Denver Broncos to the wire. They’ve been one or two plays away from a win more than once. And even in their ugly loss in London, Gang Green's defense — led by former Panthers interim head coach Steve Wilks —refused to break, keeping them in it until the final minutes.
It’s easy to dismiss a team that managed only 82 yards of offense and negative passing production in Week 6. It’s harder to ignore a defense that’s still holding opponents under control despite getting no help from elsewhere.
Sure, the Jets' defense has been pretty disappointing as a whole this year, but there is no lack of talent. With cornerback Sauce Gardner and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams leading the charge, this group has the chance to make this game ugly.
To make matters worse, the Panthers have yet to prove they can take their success on the road. While they may be 3-0 at home, they are also 0-3 away, and those defeats haven’t been close.
The Jacksonville Jaguars, Arizona Cardinals, and New England Patriots have all gotten the better of Carolina this season. Aaron Glenn's squad is a mess, and they won't have wide receiver Garrett Wilson available, but underestimating them would be extremely foolish.
Young needs to take care of the ball. He’s thrown an interception in the past two games, although the blame can be placed on Tetairoa McMillan for his Week 6 pick. Dowdle must keep the ground game rolling against a tough defensive line. And Dave Canales’ offense must maintain the same sense of urgency it’s shown over the past fortnight.
If the Panthers handle business in New York, they’ll be 4-3 heading into a crucial stretch with the Buffalo Bills and Green Bay Packers up next. But if they lose, the same old questions about inconsistency and identity will inevitably resurface.