For the second consecutive year, the Carolina Panthers schedule is nothing if not consistent.13 of 16 Panthers games kick off at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday. Two other games are against AFC West opponents, and they kick off at 1:00 p.m. Pacific Time on Sunday. The team's only prime time game is a Monday night home tilt against Tampa Bay in early December.
Apparently, television people have this crazy idea that the Panthers are going to be some boring, grind-it-out power running team that will be all but unwatchable. Our old pal MJD echoes that sentiment, suggesting that the Panthers-Bucs Monday nighter will suck rocks, thanks to Carolina's lack of playmakers beyond Steve Smith. Clearly, MJD has never heard of DeAngelo Williams.
Regardless, the early part of this schedule could be favorable to Carolina. Yes, they have to open on the road against San Diego, which is a tall order, but it gets easier after that -- home vs. Chicago, at Minnesota, home vs. Atlanta and home vs. Kansas City. Those are all winnable games. Another midseason stretch with Arizona, Oakland, Detroit and Atlanta won't hurt, either.
Of course, this Panthers team has to rediscover its running game, keep Jake Delhomme healthy and play the defense we know it can before anyone can say those games are locks. Still, a season full of AFC West and NFC North teams won't hurt a team looking to bounce back from two straight mediocre seasons.
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Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 1)
1. With the Panthers luck, the AFC West will return to its normal powerful form, lol.
Posted at 4:05AM on Apr 16th 2008 by Thomas
2. As a Panthers fan living way outside of NC & SC, I'm not happy about the '08 schedule of televised games either. America hates the NE Patriots, so why carry any of their games at all? You can't tell me that the week 17 matchup of Carolina at NO won't be a better game than anything else going on that week. Playoff implications in that game? I have to say, "yes!" Ah well, there's always the satellite radio broadcast...
Posted at 4:52PM on Apr 17th 2008 by Harrison