How the Carolina Panthers can win the NFC South in 2020

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - DECEMBER 15: Christian McCaffrey #22 of the Carolina Panthers runs with the ball during the first quarter during their game against the Seattle Seahawks at Bank of America Stadium on December 15, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - DECEMBER 15: Christian McCaffrey #22 of the Carolina Panthers runs with the ball during the first quarter during their game against the Seattle Seahawks at Bank of America Stadium on December 15, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images) /
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Carolina Panthers (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)
Carolina Panthers (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images) /

2. Head coach Matt Rhule adapts quickly to the NFL.

He did quite the job with the Bears of Baylor University. Now former Baylor University sideline leader Matt Rhule inherits a different animal when it comes to the National Football League and the Carolina Panthers.

It’s safe to say this is a big-time rebuilding job in Charlotte and it will be interesting to see if Rhule can adjust quickly to a game that is lot more similar to the college version than it’s ever been. Still, as NFL.com’s Nick Shook points out, at least Rhule did spend one year (2012) as an assistant with the New York Giants.

It’s worth noting that current Cardinals’ head coach Kliff Kingsbury came over from Texas Tech a year ago and inherited a last-place club. While the team could not escape the NFC West basement, Arizona certainly made strides on the offensive side of the ball and by year’s end were a much-improved squad.

As previously mentioned, Rhule is Carolina’s first offensive-minded head coach in the team’s history. And it makes sense in a division with three other teams that have had few problems putting points on the board. Meanwhile, Rhule takes over a Panthers club that averaged a mere 16.4 points per contest during the squad’s season-ending eight-game losing streak.