The Carolina Panthers have an extremely tough schedule in front of them in 2011.  I think they are going to be an improved team this year but it will show in the stats and not the record.  The Panthers might be a really good team in a couple of years, but new head coach Ron Rivera is going to need some time to continue rebuilding.  If I had to make a bet on Carolina Panthers’ wins in 2011, I would have to take the under.

This is a very sneaky number for Vegas to post on the Panthers.  They finished strongly last season to finish at 8-8 and this year’s schedule doesn’t look too daunting.  Add in the fact that John Fox knows how to coach up his football team and I would likely make a small bet on the over.  Matt Moore impressed me at the end of the season.  I’m not calling for the Panthers to make the playoffs but I have a feeling they will win at least half of their games in 2010.  The Panthers are currently 66-1 to win the Super Bowl for fans who like to bet on that kind of thing.

I have a feeling that Jake Delhomme and Julius Peppers are in for huge seasons.  With that in mind this number is way too low for the Panthers.  I see them possibly winning 10 or more games this season so I would make a huge bet on the over and hope that the key players on the team stay healthy all year long.

I think the bet here is the under.  I just don’t see how the Panthers will be better than 8-8 this season.  They need one of their running backs to step up and be the man if they are going to win more than 9 football games this season.  They do get 4 games against the Bucs and Falcons so that could help them out big-time if you bet the over.  Still, I see the 2007 version of the Panthers to be very similar to the 2006 version which puts me on the under with the Panthers.