The bye is over. The high has worn off, the fog is lifting, and the Carolina Panthers are once again staring at a crossroads that will define their season.
Flying into Philadelphia after a superb victory under the prime-time lights, Carolina faces a question that will loom over the Panthers until it is answered.
Can Carolina be consistent?
If head coach Dave Canales wants the answer to fall in his favor, his team must avoid waking a sleeping giant in Eagles defensive lineman Jalen Carter.
Carolina Panthers need Robert Hunt's old form to return against Jalen Carter
And that means now is the time for right guard Robert Hunt to remove the stench of his early-season efforts.
Carter hit his button too early this season, triggering a burnout and a slow start. Playing through a wrist injury, the All-Pro lineman has some big questions to answer after receiving a monster extension.
In four of five games so far this season, Carter had a pressure percentage under 9.0. That was accompanied by three games this season with one fewer defensive stop, and many fans have been disappointed.
Until last Sunday, if you weren't looking at a calendar, you’d think it was the 2024 version of Carter.
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence was essential in handing the game to the Eagles. Carter had two strip sacks to accompany his three pressures, but Philadelphia blew it in the end.
Carter also shut down the Jaguars' run game with a season-high five defensive stops. We've seen Mason Graham and Deone Walker destroy two different games for Carolina's offense. That means Hunt will be tasked with keeping it from becoming a third.
Carolina Panthers cannot let Jalen Carter dictate things in the trenches
In the last matchup between the Panthers and Eagles, Hunt held his own against a much better and healthier version of Carter. Unfortunately, that was also a much better, healthier version of Hunt.
After missing the majority of 2025 and a huge chunk of training camp, the $100 million guard hasn’t lived up to that price tag in 2026.
Hunt has been flagged five times, the most on the team. He also has struggled in pass protection, failing to effectively pass off stunts with new starting center Luke Fortner and rookie tackle Monroe Freeling.
Carolina hopes the struggles are external rather than due to Hunt’s play declining. But we're about to find out.
Fortner has literally been the worst starting center in the NFL in both phases, allowing 20.8% of the team's pressures, a league high for the center position. Freeling was thrown into the fire out of position and is struggling to stay afloat.
Both players have a negative EPA when Carolina runs behind them, with Fortner at -0.17 EPA on 26 attempts and only 3.1 yards per carry, and Freeling at -0.12 EPA on 10 attempts and 2.7 YPC.
Carolina has opened the practice window for franchise great Taylor Moton. This could improve the line overall, but it could also help Hunt play closer to his 2024 form.
With a 5-foot-10 quarterback, interior pressure has been and will always be Carolina’s Kryptonite. If they want to shake the up-and-down label, Hunt must come through when Carter is aligned across from him at Lincoln Financial Field.
Nothing else will do.
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