Last year the Carolina Panthers picked up where they left off in 2017 when they won seven of their final nine games. The push catapulted Carolina into the playoffs but a third consecutive loss to divisional rival New Orleans ended their season, leaving fans eager for their next opportunity.
Winning six of the first eight, the Panthers were poised for another run at the playoffs and their first ever back-to-back winning seasons. All signs pointed to a positive ending before a disastrous performance in Pittsburgh derailed the entire season. Losing 52-21 in prime time on a Thursday night, not only did Carolina suffer an embarrassing loss but quarterback Cam Newton was injured and never fully recovered.