Panthers Drop in Power Rankings

ESPN.com has released their weekly Power Rankings, and the news is not good for fans in Carolina.  The Panthers had the biggest drop of the week, falling six spots from number 12 to 18.  Apparently lacking any fully healthy quarterback is grounds for dropping six spots after a home loss.  Granted, it was was Carolina’s fourth home loss this season (they’ve yet to win at home this year), but six spots still seems excessive, especially given the team to whom they lost.  Since when does not being able to defeat the defending Super Bowl Champions mean sliding six spots in the Power Rankings.  Obviously, the analysts at ESPN.com believe something is amiss in Carolina.

Apparently, according to reports now, VinnyT is out with an ankle injury, which contradicts the report i read yesterday, but honestly it could be both.  He’s an older guy and unfortunately, as great as that first game was, this may become a recurring theme in Carolina.  David Carr is still a bit banged up, and he’s going to have to bust his tail to get out on the field and get better as a QB in the next few weeks.  The Panthers absolutely must find a way to reintegrate Steve Smith as the focal point of their offense.  He is one of the elite receivers in the game, and quite frankly the Panthers just aren’t using him to his full potential.  Though it’s not panic time in Carolina, the Panthers need to win a home game immediately if they want to be taken truly seriously as playoff contenders.

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