Will the Panthers go undefeated in the regular season?

Carolina has the Falcons twice with the Bucs and Giants to round out their last four. Division games are never gimmes, but clearly Carolina will be heavy favorites in every game.

I know they have had an easy schedule, but it's pretty impressive that they have been able to dispatch every opponent for 12 straight weeks. I really think beating the Hawks was the tipping point for them. It gave them the confidence and self belief that's required to get through a season unscathed.

Who knows if they will rest starters once the one seed is secured, but I think they compete for the undefeated season. That's a damn elusive group, and they won't want to miss out on history.

I think they go undefeated, but lose in the playoffs. What do you guys think? Remember, regular season only.

I just wish they would have played us with the current Hawks team, not that pile we put on the field back then. They are going to lose one of those games and frankly they look beatable.

Largent80":v39lm71j said:

I just wish they would have played us with the current Hawks team, not that pile we put on the field back then. They are going to lose one of those games and frankly they look beatable.

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Wagner was out but the Panthers two starting DE's in Allen and Johnson were out too.

Tillman was out last week and credit must also be given to Brees playing in his dome in his Super Bowl. Still couldn't win after being spotted 14, creating multiple turnovers, returning PATs for 2, Ginn dropping multiple sure TDs, etc.

Neither the Titans nor Redskins had a single snap inside the redzone and the favored Cowboys were curb stomped in the most watched football game of 2015. This isn't the same Panther team as October either.

I'd say yes.

And then when the playoff odds come out I bet the Panthers will be 3rd/4th most likely to win it all. That's where I'd have them at least.

ctrcat":z53wimlv said:

Largent80":z53wimlv said:

I just wish they would have played us with the current Hawks team, not that pile we put on the field back then. They are going to lose one of those games and frankly they look beatable.

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Wagner was out but the Panthers two starting DE's in Allen and Johnson were out too.

Tillman was out last week and credit must also be given to Brees playing in his dome in his Super Bowl. Still couldn't win after being spotted 14, creating multiple turnovers, returning PATs for 2, Ginn dropping multiple sure TDs, etc.

Neither the Titans nor Redskins had a single snap inside the redzone and the favored Cowboys were curb stomped in the most watched football game of 2015. This isn't the same Panther team as October either.

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I don't think L80 was speaking of particular players being out, but rather of the two major elements that have led to the turnaround in Seattle's fortunes:

1. The benching of Cary Williams, with Jeremy Lane and Deshawn Shead playing at a much higher level.
2. The offensive sea change that has occurred (which is likely a combination of Wilson playing better, Rawls sparking the running game, and the O-line improving with the addition of Patrick Lewis.

I believe this current version of the Seahawks would be able to hold a 4th quarter lead at home, whether by smothering the opposing offense or by adding more points. That's not something they were doing well in the first half of the season.

^ Would have been interesting to test your hold lead at home theory if Tomlin had any stones at all, or even played percentages by going for it. Maybe they would have still made the plays, but that's still 538 yards at home given up just one week ago, albeit against a potent offense. The Hawks are a prideful group and former champ so a rebound was expected, but Bridgewater is a gun-shy just turned 23 year old kid with a noodle arm. Only time will tell of course.

Yep, and then we'll blow them out in the play-offs.

No. They have the third easiest schedule in the league, still only won half of their games by a single possession, and they've only played two teams with a winning record -- us and Green Bay. Their luck won't hold out forever. I think Atlanta takes them down as 4 of their 6 losses were by a combined 11 points. Plus they haven't played each other yet, and Dan Quinn will get two cracks at them in a three week span.

Ron would be an idiot to keep playing his starters once they get the #1 seed locked up. Cam has been taking some serious hits and they're only going to get worse as some pissed off division rivals start gunning for punishment and that final wild card spot. Even the '07 Patriots struggled down the stretch, despite averaging 40+ PPG through the first half of the season. Going undefeated is near-impossible, and I just don't see it happening for a team that has skated by on too many close games.

I hope they do. I want to destroy their perfect season in the playoffs.

If Kam keeps taking shots like he did in New Orleans, he's not going to make it through the rest of these games.

But even healthy, I'll predict that they'll drop a game before the playoffs. They're playing lesser teams, but every team left on their schedule is fighting for the playoffs, so desperate teams are nothing to take lightly.

Probably. Though I am hoping the Giants remember they are in a four team race for the division title. Or that Tampa Bay realizes just winning out likely gets a shot at a wildcard, or Atlanta grows a set.

Though watching the breaks Carolina has gotten pretty much is a replay of the 2012 San Francisco 49ers. Luckily we'll be there to do what the Giants did in spades.

That team is the worst 12-0 team I have ever witnessed. Things even out though and we're starting to see just that.

Paper tigers errrr. Panthers.

Largent80":1odbzm3t said:

Paper tigers errrr. Panthers.

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The real paper champs right now may be the 2016 or 2017 Panthers with a returning Benjamin, an improved cap situation, and multiple impact players still on rookie deals. If anyone IS going to do it, I suggest it be now.

theyll lose to Giants or Bucs ...orr they lose to Falcons and rest against Bucs and go 14-2

rideaducati":3q5izgj6 said:

I hope they do. I want to destroy their perfect season in the playoffs.

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Our players dancing and smiling on their field would be a thing of beauty.

I think they will, and then they'll get bounced in the playoffs... By us.

Revenge, and all that.

Setting aside that the Panthers are a pretty unimpressive team for their record, I'd say they lose at least one even if they were the reincarnation of the 2008 Patriots on offense and the 1985 Chicago Bears on defense. It's just too hard to go undefeated week in and week out *especially* if the last few games are meaningless. It also tends to build an unhealthy psychological pressure and I am of the opinion a team is better off losing once in the regular season (again as the Patriots from a few years back).

I also think that no team is going to be as driven when there is little to play for and said team is especially vulnerable when their foes are fighting for their playoff lives.

So now to bring that to concrete predictions. Right now the Panthers have a magic number of +2.5 (Arizona) to clinch home field. If Arizona actually drops a game, they will lose a potential tiebreak with Carolina dropping that magic number to two. I also note the next two opponents are Atlanta and the NY Giants and both are fighting for their playoff lives, and Atlanta needs to win at least once to insure the one week bye.

Thus I think the Panthers will find a way to win the next two because the next two games will be fiercely contested and important to both sides (and the Panthers are better than either). After that, it's quite likely that the Panthers will have home field wrapped up, and Tampa is actually fairly decent this year.

I suspect that the Panthers will drop the last two games, but will still have home field.

Rob12":96wmyro4 said:

I think they will, and then they'll get bounced in the playoffs... By us.

Revenge, and all that.

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Wilson is 3-0 on their turf, and he won't be there in swamp-ass September/October weather this time around.

Lot of chest thumping over a 12-0 team..

Panthers deserve the credit. Maybe not the "best" 12-0 team ever, but think about what you're saying. 12-0 is still pretty good, regardless of contributing factors.

They can throw the ball around the field and have a solid defense. I think they are the best team in the NFC, with this version of the Seahawks right behind them. I'd love for that to somehow be the NFC Championship game

I think they can go undefeated in the regular season. Competition is not tough. Tampa maybe a test. However they should fall in the playoffs. Hopefully to Seahawks.