For the first half of the 2018 season, it looked like the Carolina Panthers would be one of the teams to beat. The Panthers got off to a 6-2 start and three of those victories were against playoff teams.
Of course, we all know what happened over the second part of the season. Cam Newton got injured, and an offense that had looked sharp suddenly tanked as Newton was not at 100 percent. Carolina lost seven straight games to close out the year, missing out on the playoffs. The Panthers are hopeful that Newton can stay healthy and lead them back to the postseason this year.
Will the Carolina Panthers Make the Playoffs in 2019?
Yes +190
No -235
Odds Analysis
The Panthers finished in second in the NFC South last season, but they are projected to finish third this year as the NFL betting odds are bullish on both the Saints and the Falcons. Carolina went just 2-4 in division play in 2018, and that must improve if the Panthers are going to make the postseason.
Breaking Down Carolina’s Offense
Newton has taken a beating over his NFL career, and it looks like it is starting to take a toll on him. He is at his best when he is running around and trying to make plays, but that led to a shoulder injury that hampered him last year and now he is dealing with a foot injury.
Carolina’s star quarterback walked off the field in a boot during Thursday night’s preseason game against New England. While Ron Rivera has downplayed the injury and said the boot was just a precautionary measure, that has set off alarm bells. We heard the Panthers consistently claim that Newton’s shoulder wasn’t injured last season before they confirmed it had been at the end of last season, so it’s somewhat difficult to take the team’s word for it when Carolina claims he’ll be fully healthy to start the year.
At least the Panthers have a promising quarterback behind Newton if he is injured. Will Grier was taken in the third round of this year’s draft, and he has a lot of potential.
The receivers are nothing special. Carolina used high draft picks on Curtis Samuel in 2017 and DJ Moore in 2018, but neither receiver has warranted such a lofty pick. Greg Olsen continues to produce at a high level when healthy though even though this is his 14th season in the league.
Christian McCaffrey is a threat to finish with over 2,000 yards from scrimmage this season. McCaffrey ended the 2018 campaign with 326 touches, and the Panthers want to put the ball in his hands as much as possible. He is the team’s most dynamic playmaker.
Breaking Down Carolina’s Defense
This 3-4 front became a lot scarier with the addition of Gerald McCoy. McCoy has terrorized NFC South quarterbacks for years as a part of Tampa Bay, so Carolina is more than happy to bring him aboard. He will team up with Dontari Poe and Kawann Short to make this front intimidating. There is little depth behind those three though, so staying healthy will be huge.
The linebackers are fantastic too. Luke Kuechly has been one of the best inside linebackers in the NFL this decade, and Shaq Thompson has done a solid job too. Bruce Irvin is looking to revitalize his career in Carolina, while first-round draft pick Brian Burns is out to showcase his skills.
Carolina’s front seven should be tough to run on, but the secondary is suspect. The Panthers have the misfortune of playing in the most pass-happy division in football, so those shortcomings are concerning.
Prediction
If you could guarantee that Cam Newton would be fully healthy for at least 14 games, I would take the ‘Yes’ here. Newton’s health is too much of a concern though given his style of play, so I’ll swallow the chalk and take the ‘No’.
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