It’s 38 days until the new NFL season begins but for a football mad guy like me that’s just too long so I’ve taken it upon myself to go over each NFL schedule and try and predict for all of you what may happen once the season rolls around.
We’re halfway through looking at the NFC South and today we continue in the form of the Carolina Panthers who went 6-10 in 2011. Here’s how I think their season will go:
- Week 1 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Win
- Week 2 vs New Orleans Saints – Loss
- Week 3 vs New York Giants – Win
- Week 4 at Atlanta Falcons – Win
- Week 5 vs Seattle Seahawks – Win
- Week 6 BYE
- Week 7 vs Dallas Cowboys – Loss
- Week 8 at Chicago Bears – Loss
- Week 9 at Washington Redskins – Loss
- Week 10 vs Denver Broncos – Loss
- Week 11 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Win
- Week 12 at Philadelphia Eagles – Loss
- Week 13 at Kansas City Chiefs – Loss
- Week 14 vs Atlanta Falcons – Win
- Week 15 at San Diego Chargers – Loss
- Week 16 vs Oakland Raiders – Loss
- Week 17 at New Orleans Saints – Loss
Overall Record for the Carolina Panthers in 2012: 6-10
As you can see from the schedule analysis, I expect this team to start off hot. The problem with momentum is that it can easily be halted by a particular circumstance. In this case, that circumstance is the early bye week. Prior to week 6, you see 4 wins out of 5. Going 2-9 in the final 11 games shows this change of momentum is as defining a moment as you get in a season.
Right after the bye we have a critically difficult stretch with the Cowboys, Bears, Redskins and Broncos turning the Panthers season for the worse. Perhaps the most remarkable thing about this schedule – the sweep of Atlanta. I’ll have more on that in our preview of the Atlanta Falcons schedule tomorrow – something to look forward to.