The Carolina Panthers landed near the top of the league to begin 2018 but there’s a caveat associated with their standing. No, it doesn’t involve replacing two starting offensive linemen despite not having played a down of football, but instead their divisional opponents.
In every poll both the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints currently rank higher than Carolina. Putting three teams into the playoffs last season, the NFC South is expected to again be one of the toughest divisions in the league.
Playing each twice, in addition to an improving Tampa Bay squad, will take its toll on the final outcome for the year.