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The Carolina Panthers are in the midst of the first week of one of the most intriguing training camps in recent memory. New head coach Frank Reich and a loaded staff are looking to hit the ground running this season with rookie quarterback Bryce Young. The NFC South remains ripe for the picking with major question marks about each and every team and it seems like there is a great opportunity for the Panthers to take another step from last year and win the division.
Despite that, there are many people that doubting what this Panthers team can do with the schedule they face out of the gate. The latest to question whether or not the Panthers can navigate their first six games of the season is former general manager Bill Polian. In a recent edition of ‘Sports Legend of the Carolinas with Scott Fowler’, Polian said this season will be a “bit of a struggle” through Week 8. After that, Polian sees this team being competitive down the stretch.
He is far from the only person that is concerned about the first six games of the season for the Panthers with a new coaching staff and a rookie quarterback. Charlotte Sports Today host Jeff Rickard has been preaching for the last couple of weeks that fans need to realize that it will take time for this team to hit their stride with all of the new elements that are having to mesh together.
Earlier this morning, Mac and Bone pushed back against the notion that that stretch might be a little too much to overcome. ” I get what people are saying,” Mac said. “You have new staff, you have Bryce and then you have the hardest part (of your schedule) right away. Falcons on the road is one I think we definitely can get. I honestly believe we’re winning the first two games.”
Bone sees a similar situation playing out. “I think 3-3 is a successful start because four of them are on the road. I think they could beat the Falcons in Atlanta. I think they can come home and beat New Orleans. I’m not terrified of Seattle or Minnesota either. I’m just not. Can they go 3-1 in that stretch and one of the other two (at Detroit and at Miami)?”
