The Day After: Carolina Panthers Head Into Bye Week Still In Contention In The NFC South

The Carolina Panthers head into the bye week 1.5 games back of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC South standings. Panthers interim head coach Steve Wilks pointed out on Monday that the team will need to continue to get strong performances from its offensive line and secondary if the Panthers are going to build on momentum out of the bye. Wilks also noted that deciding on Sam Darnold to start after the bye at Seattle wasn't a quick decision, rather it was a quick announcement.The Panthers have the 3rd-worst remaining strength of schedule only playing one team (Seattle) above .500 to close out the season. The Panthers also played a handful of teams that would finish with a losing record in 2014 when the team went from 3-8-1 to 7-8-1 and was division champions. Can Carolina capitalize on a weak schedule down the stretch?The Panthers currently sit 6th in the pecking order of the 2023 NFL Draft with six weeks remaining. Should Panthers fans be concerned about the Panthers playing their way out of contention for a top QB or is there still an opening for Carolina to trade up?Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!LinkedInLinkedIn Jobs helps you find the candidates you want to talk to, faster. Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com/LOCKEDONNFLBuilt BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.BetOnlineBetOnline.net has you covered this season with more props, odds and lines than ever before. BetOnline – Where The Game Starts!PrizePicksFirst time users can receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. That’s PrizePicks.com – promo code; LOCKEDONSimpliSafeWith Fast Protect™️ Technology, exclusively from SimpliSafe, 24/7 monitoring agents capture evidence to accurately verify a threat for faster police response. There’s No Safe Like SimpliSafe. Visit SimpliSafe.com/LockedOnNFL to learn more.TuroForget boring rental cars and find your drive at Turo.com  AudibleHead over to Locked On NFL for a sneak peak of Block Forever or catch the full series available anywhere you get your podcast. Available everywhere now!   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices