Who will win the NFC South?
By: Jake Rajala
The Carolina Panthers have been quite complex over the past season. They benched former first overall pick Bryce Young, which may have set a fire under his arse. He finished with a TD% of 3.9, which was an improvement from 2.1% as a rookie. Young also had a record of 4-8. Yes, it’s brutal. However, it’s another boost from his 2-14 record as a rookie.
With that all said, a fascinating question arises: could the Panthers win the NFC South?
The Panthers haven’t won the division since 2015 – which was the same season they unleashed a 15-1 record! It won’t be easy for the Panthers to finally win it again. The Bucs have the best QB in the division and an elite defense. This is the reason that they won it in each of the past four seasons.
The Panthers may not win the division, but they could look to sweep the Saints and Falcons. Each of these teams will likely showcase a rookie or second-year QB. Rattler went 0-9 and Penix Jr. went 1-2.
At least, the Panthers did the right thing by bringing in an elite toy for Young. His name is none other than Tetairoa McMillan. He reminds me a lot of Mike Evans and DK Metcalf with his combination of size and speed. Not only did they draft a freak of nature, but they are also getting the crisp veteran Adam Thielen back for another season.
The Panthers should be pleased to know the Bucs were 30th in passing YPG allowed, the Saints were 28th in passing YPG allowed, and the Falcons were 24th in passing YPG allowed!
The Panthers RB1 Chuba Hubbard has made it publicly clear that he’s tired of losing. Hubbard told Scott Fowler of the Charlotte Observer a week ago, “Yeah, we’re sick and tired of it”.
If Young doesn’t bring home a near .500 record, I expect the Panthers to move on from the former Bama QB. They may be able to get an early draft pick for his services before it’s too late.
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