Easier path for Panthers in 2010

By Bud L. Ellis

After finishing at .500 while playing the second-hardest schedule in the National Football League in 2009, the Carolina Panthers will find a little easier sledding come 2010.

The Panthers, who finished 8-8 in the NFC South despite the difficult slate last season, know their home and road opponents for the upcoming season. Dates have yet to be announced by the NFL, but the Panthers can tell with a first glance that the schedule won’t be as difficult as it was last season.

Only five of Carolina’s 16 games are against playoff teams, including a pair of NFC South games against Super Bowl champion New Orleans. The trip to New Orleans is the only road game against a postseason qualifier. The other games against playoff teams, all at home, are against NFC West champ Arizona, AFC North champion Cincinnati, and AFC wild-card qualifier Baltimore.

The rest of the home schedule features games with division rivals Atlanta and Tampa Bay, San Francisco and Chicago. Road games include trips to Atlanta and Tampa Bay, Seattle, St. Louis, Cleveland, Pittsburgh and the New York Giants. Four of the road games are against teams that lost 11 or more games a year ago.

—30—

Saturday, March 6, 2010 at 7:45 am by Bud · No Comments

Tags: Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, National Football League, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, St. Louis Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers