Panthers to navigate easier road in 2010
By Bud L. Ellis
In 2009, the Carolina Panthers navigated the second-toughest schedule in the National Football League to a .500 record.
The going should be a little easier in 2010.
The Panthers, who finished 8-8 in the NFC South last season despite the tough schedule, know their home and road opponents for the upcoming season. Dates have yet to be announced by the NFL, but the Panthers know with just a passing glance that the schedule won’t be as difficult as it was last season.
Carolina will play playoff teams in just five of their 16 games in 2010. Two of those games are against Super Bowl champion and NFC South rival New Orleans. The good news: 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 champion Arizona, AFC North champion Cincinnati, and AFC wild-card qualifier Baltimore.
The rest of the home schedule includes games with division rivals Atlanta and Tampa Bay, San Francisco and Chicago. Road games feature visits to Atlanta and Tampa Bay for division contests, and games at 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.
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Saturday, March 13, 2010 at 10:49 pm 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