The fourth quarter of the Schedule

[MHS831]

Denver:  After a Sunday night battle with Kansas City, the Broncos stay on the road to visit Charlotte.  The Panthers are opening as 4-point favorites. Lock is playing for his future, it seems, and I expect him to look at the secondary and salivate--a chance to get Jerry Jeudy involved.  The Panthers probably get CMC back.  This should be a very close game, but I think Carolina wins at home and moves to 5-8.

@Green Bay: Rogers has been in the Zone this year, and he will be playing to win a first round bye from New Orleans.  With Minnesota, Detroit, and Chicago in their division, their record is probably better than the team is.  Rogers in Green Bay in December does not bode well for Southern teams with a QB from the state of Florida.  Carolina will drop to 5-9.

@ Washington: Washington has 4 wins to date, wins vs. Dallas (2), Philly, and Cincinnati.  These 3 opponents are 8-25-2 so far. The Football Team is still in the race for a playoff spot, so who knows how motivated they will be on December 27?  This game can go either way, but I see the Panthers coming out on top and moving to 6-9.

New Orleans:  The Saints play the Eagles, Chiefs, and Vikings before this game; it is reasonable to assume that they will win 2 of these games fairly easily (although Minnesota plays New Orleans tough, historically).  So if New Orleans enters the game at 12-3, and Green Bay (Detroit, Carolina, Tennessee, and Chicago) beats the Lions, Panthers, and loses to Tennessee in Green Bay, then the Packers would be 11-4.  Since Green Bay beat the Saints week 3, they would win a head to head IF they beat the Bears week 17 and New Orleans lost to Carolina.  So New Orleans needs to be 2 games ahead of Green Bay entering Week 17 to have the first-round bye locked up.  That seems somewhat unlikely. The Panthers lose to New Orleans and end the season at 6-10. 

For those of you hoping to see the team tank, Denver and Washington are formidable obstacles--I see the Panthers with CMC and a healthy QB, being favored slightly in both games.  I am not confident that the Panthers will win either, but the odds are that they will win 1 or both.

However, if the Saints are not competing for the first-round bye by entering week 17 a game behind Green Bay (unlikely), they could play scrubs as they have in the past and assist another Panther victory.  In that case, the Panthers could finish as high as 7-9.  Remember, the Panthers played New Orleans tough earlier this season, so stranger things...

 

[CRA]

Alex Smith.  Teddy Bridgewater.  The battle of the checkdowns! 

that's better than golf for a relaxing Sunday nap. 

[Carl Spackler]

We’re not winning again this year. Which, IIRC, would make the Panthers 1-11 in December games under Tepper. 

[CRA]

I think we will be dogs to Washington.  Less than 3 point favorites to Denver. 

[t96]

We beat the Aints, lose the rest.

[TheCasillas]

15 minutes ago, Carl Spackler said:

We’re not winning again this year. Which, IIRC, would make the Panthers 1-11 in December games under Tepper. 

lol @ blaming Tepper for our December record. I don't think there is a single owner in the NFL that would have a better record based on what we have been fielding for talent the last two years. It's not Tepper tackling or passing on Sundays. 

[CRA]

I've never been convinced a team tried to lose a game in the NFL....until yesterday.  That final play of the Jets game.  The Jets intentionally ran a defensive coverage to maximize the Raiders ability to pull off the upset.   No doubt.    No NFL team runs 4 men in man coverage on a hail marry lob w/ no S help.   

I've seen them install players that give them less of a chance.  Never seen coaches call plays to cater to the opponent like that.   

 

[MHS831]

22 minutes ago, CRA said:

I think we will be dogs to Washington.  Less than 3 point favorites to Denver. 

They opened at 4, but I agree that it sounds steep. 

[MHS831]

6 minutes ago, CRA said:

I've never been convinced a team tried to lose a game in the NFL....until yesterday.  That final play of the Jets game.  The Jets intentionally ran a defensive coverage to maximize the Raiders ability to pull off the upset.   No doubt.    No NFL team runs 4 men in man coverage on a hail marry lob w/ no S help.   

I've seen them install players that give them less of a chance.  Never seen coaches call plays to cater to the opponent like that.   

 

That is a very interesting point.

 

[kungfoodude]

33 minutes ago, MHS831 said:

Denver:  After a Sunday night battle with Kansas City, the Broncos stay on the road to visit Charlotte.  The Panthers are opening as 4-point favorites. Lock is playing for his future, it seems, and I expect him to look at the secondary and salivate--a chance to get Jerry Jeudy involved.  The Panthers probably get CMC back.  This should be a very close game, but I think Carolina wins at home and moves to 5-8.

@Green Bay: Rogers has been in the Zone this year, and he will be playing to win a first round bye from New Orleans.  With Minnesota, Detroit, and Chicago in their division, their record is probably better than the team is.  Rogers in Green Bay in December does not bode well for Southern teams with a QB from the state of Florida.  Carolina will drop to 5-9.

@ Washington: Washington has 4 wins to date, wins vs. Dallas (2), Philly, and Cincinnati.  These 3 opponents are 8-25-2 so far. The Football Team is still in the race for a playoff spot, so who knows how motivated they will be on December 27?  This game can go either way, but I see the Panthers coming out on top and moving to 6-9.

New Orleans:  The Saints play the Eagles, Chiefs, and Vikings before this game; it is reasonable to assume that they will win 2 of these games fairly easily (although Minnesota plays New Orleans tough, historically).  So if New Orleans enters the game at 12-3, and Green Bay (Detroit, Carolina, Tennessee, and Chicago) beats the Lions, Panthers, and loses to Tennessee in Green Bay, then the Packers would be 11-4.  Since Green Bay beat the Saints week 3, they would win a head to head IF they beat the Bears week 17 and New Orleans lost to Carolina.  So New Orleans needs to be 2 games ahead of Green Bay entering Week 17 to have the first-round bye locked up.  That seems somewhat unlikely. The Panthers lose to New Orleans and end the season at 6-10. 

For those of you hoping to see the team tank, Denver and Washington are formidable obstacles--I see the Panthers with CMC and a healthy QB, being favored slightly in both games.  I am not confident that the Panthers will win either, but the odds are that they will win 1 or both.

However, if the Saints are not competing for the first-round bye by entering week 17 a game behind Green Bay (unlikely), they could play scrubs as they have in the past and assist another Panther victory.  In that case, the Panthers could finish as high as 7-9.  Remember, the Panthers played New Orleans tough earlier this season, so stranger things...

 

[MHS831]

25 minutes ago, CRA said:

I think we will be dogs to Washington.  Less than 3 point favorites to Denver. 

But Washington has beaten some terrible teams and lost the rest.

[kungfoodude]

Remember we are likely to be without critical personnel against Denver due to our current 'Rona outbreak. If that doesn't get resolved, I don't really see us as likely to beat them.

[MHS831]

1 minute ago, kungfoodude said:

I hated writing it.  I am in full tank mode.  I am but a meager messenger...

[CRA]

5 minutes ago, MHS831 said:

That is a very interesting point.