Carolina Panthers

Just two seasons ago, although it sure seems like longer than that, the Carolina Panthers played in the NFC championship game. Since then, they're two games under .500 at 15-17, haven't been back to the playoffs and watched their football odds lengthen accordingly.

Last year's 7-9 campaign can be chalked up mainly to the elbow injury suffered by QB Jake Delhomme, and a sub-par performance by the defense. Delhomme, who's won a conference championship with this team, went down and out for the season in Week 3 last year. Carolina had won two of those first three games, averaging 25 PPG in the process.

After that, though, with guys like David Carr, Matt Moore and an ancient Vinny Testaverde handing the QB duties, the Panthers went 5-8, and averaged 15 PPG. Carolina ranked 29^th in total offense last year at a pedestrian 285 YPG, and 14^th in rushing at 114 YPG. And a defense that entered last season regarded as one of the better units in the league ranked just 16^th overall at 325 YPG, 18^th vs. the run at 111 YPG, and just 31^st in sacks.

But through it all last year, including a midseason five-game losing streak, the Panthers still almost played .500 ball. Over the offseason Carolina let go of RB DeShaun Foster, their leading rusher last year, and drafted bruiser Jonathan Stewart out of Oregon with the 13^th pick in the draft. They then used the 19^th pick to grab Pitt OT Jeff Otah, and brought back WR Muhsin Muhammad. Stewart could combine with RB DeAngelo Williams, who averaged 5.0 YPC last year, to form one of the better 1-2 backfield punches in the league. And Steve Smith is still one of the bigger threats around at WR.

Defensively, Carolina seems to have several of the tools in place to improve upon last year's numbers. But somewhat surprisingly, there are now questions about the D line, which used to be one of this team's great strengths.

The key to this team is Delhomme, who's 43-28 as a starter with the Panthers. If his elbow is ready to go – and he looked pretty good in the preseason – and if the defense improves as it should, the Panthers could very well find themselves back as a popular football betting pick for the playoffs this season. And the schedule is kind, with just five games vs. playoff teams of a year ago.

But if Carolina stumbles through another year and misses the playoffs again, it could be in for some significant postseason personnel changes.