4 Carolina Panthers players on the hot seat entering Week 9 vs. Colts

Which Carolina Panthers players find themselves firmly on the hot seat entering Week 9 against the Indianapolis Colts?

The Carolina Panthers look to build on their newfound momentum this afternoon when they take on the Indianapolis Colts at Bank of America Stadium. Confidence is high after late heroics against the Houston Texans last time out for their opening victory of the 2023 campaign, which was a massive lift for everyone coming off the team's bye.

This one will also mean more to Frank Reich - even if he won't say it publicly. The head coach was unceremoniously removed by Colts owner Jim Irsay during the 2022 season, so revenge should be firmly on Carolina's mind in no uncertain terms.

Keeping emotions in check will be a key component to any success that comes their way. The Panthers must also find a way to limit All-Pro running back Jonathan Taylor, who'll be the focal point without rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson to call upon.

With that being said, here are four Panthers players who find themselves on the hot seat in Week 9.

Shy Tuttle - Carolina Panthers DL

As previously mentioned, Jonathan Taylor is the one big danger facing the Carolina Panthers this weekend. The running back looks like the player of old after making a successful return from injury, which is bad news for a team giving up 139.4 yards per game on the ground.

Shy Tuttle's role is an important one in Week 9. He might not be a genuine nose tackle, but that doesn't change the fact he needs to do a better job of clogging holes and making things difficult to generate yards between the tackles.

The free-agent signing cannot do it alone. But he must take on this significant challenge and put together his best performance in a Panthers' uniform.