3. Don’t be fooled by the Carolina Panthers’ record
The Panthers will be entering the playoffs as the NFC South champions despite holding a 7-8-1 record. This is sure to anger many fans, particularly fans of the Philadelphia Eagles, who finished 10-6 but will miss the playoffs. The Panthers are no pushovers though, and they have proven that by winning four games in a row to close out the season. They have overcome a lot of adversity since the offseason, where they lost many players to free agency and retirement.
This included all of their top wide receivers, so quarterback Cam Newton seemed doomed to struggle with a depleted receiving corps. However, rookie Kelvin Benjamin has stepped up and emerged as an Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate. The Panthers faced their biggest obstacle yet when Newton was injured in a car crash, but he only missed one game and later returned to help the Panthers win the NFC South. They have all the momentum on their side while the Arizona Cardinals have lost theirs, so don’t be surprised if we see another playoff team with a losing record win a playoff game.
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