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The oddsmakers at BetOnline.com have the Carolina Panthers winning a mere 4.5 regular season games in 2011.
With the Panthers performance so horrendous last season, they were able to snatch the first overall pick in the NFL Draft, Cam Newton.
Stan Simmons of BetOnline.com:
There are obvious concerns about a franchise that is coming off of a two-win season with a rookie quarterback and a rookie head coach in Ron Rivera, but all of the buzz out of the state is that the Panthers are looking very good this preseason. Rivera has brought a renewed energy and focus to the team that it lacked under Jon Fox in his final season, and the outlook on both sides of the ball will be different. On offense, Carolina will benefit from the return of right tackle Jeff Otah on a strong offensive line, and with DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart both in the backfield the running game should be better. Wide receiver Steve Smith has looked like a man on a mission, and the team signed a couple of tight ends with Pro Bowl potential in Jeremy Shockey and Greg Olsen to help with Newton’s transition. Defensively, the Panthers will be a lot more aggressive this season with more pressure up front and different blitz looks. Defensive end Charles Johnson resigned, but the key to the defense will be how well a thin secondary holds up if Carolina can’t get pressure up front.
Make no mistake about it, Carolina plays in the toughest division in the NFL. It’s no wonder that the oddsmakers have the Panthers pegged to win under 5 regular season games.
Some food for thought though: Carolina does host Minnesota, Tennessee, Washington and a difficult-to-figure-out Jacksonville team. A road game in Arizona perhaps is winnable.
- Dan Shapiro, Gambling911.com
