Peter King picks the Panthers as a surprise team

[Brandon]

4. My surprise teams, and people. I like Carolina and Seattle to surprise. I think Matt Moore (last three starts last year: 3-0, 69.7 percent passing, 7-0 TD-to-interception ratio) will hold off Jimmy Clausen and be a good NFL starter. In Seattle, I think Pete Carroll's hope will sell early, when they have three winnable games in the first four. Who knows? The Seahawks have talent, and there's not a great team in their division.

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/peter_king/07/25/mmqb/index.html?eref=sihp#ixzz0upJGJWtB

I find it kind of surprising that King is backing us since he normally is pretty pessimistic about our team but it's nice to hear some kind words from the media for once this offseason.

[marcopolo]

the same peter king that predicted us to be a top 10 team a month or so ago?

[Dpantherman]

the same peter king that predicted us to be a top 10 team a month or so ago?

top 12

[mmmbeans]

so we'll be as good as the seahawks? *cringe*

[pantherclaw]

Most of the league (okay, most of the writers) are sleeping on us.

Yes, we are dealing with major change across the d-line.

That doesn't change the fact that we have one of the most dominate run games in the NFL. It doesn't change the fact that Moore has played well for us as a starter, and with the run game to continue to lean on, he should be able to continue to play well enough to win. The defensive back end is still very solid, and I expect good play out of them.

Like it or not, the change in the d-line was coming whether we wanted it to or not. It had been getting old for years. We knew there was going to be some change, we just didn't expect it to include almost the whole line. The infusion of young talent and ENERGY should be a good thing. We should be able to get off the line of scrimmage well, and consistently.

Hope the pre-season is enough time for the d-line to get a lil swagger together.

[Boltergeist]

2nd time in 3 years he's had the Panthers as a surprise team

From 2008

10. Carolina. Surprise. Take your leap-of-faith pill and follow me. Jake Delhomme threw 35 balls with some velocity the other day at mini-camp, his first good throws in a team drill since he wrecked his elbow last year. Jonathan Stewart and his surgically repaired turf toe should be ready to pound defenses by Labor Day. Julius Peppers can't be as bad this year as he was last year. (This team had 23 sacks last year. Peppers should contend for two-thirds that number himself every year.)

So I'm counting on the offensive line, fortified by the deal for rookie tackle Jeff Otah, to be better, and I'm counting on Peppers to put significantly more pressure on the quarterback. There is no way a John Fox team should give up 30 points five times, as it did last year, and I expect a more competent offense to possess the ball more this year. It has to for Fox's team to grind out some wins, and it will with the brawny Stewart in the backfield.

[SorthNarolina]

I find it kind of surprising that King is backing us since he normally is pretty pessimistic about our team but it's nice to hear some kind words from the media for once this offseason.

Really? He seemed pretty nice. I called in a lot on his radio show when I had Sirius. He HATED the Jimmy Clausen pick, he immediately started speculating that it was JR and not Fox/Hurney who picked him.

[g5jamz]

that mother f*****r

[Jangler]

he picks his ass too, what does that mean? I don't know, but I don't like it.

[Wither]

he picks his ass too, what does that mean? I don't know, but I don't like it.

Lies; you love it.

[Panthro]

you run the ball;;; you win games

[mmmbeans]

[pantherrice]

This 2010 Panthers team reminds me of the 2003 Panthers team. We didn't have a superstar QB. We ran the ball good. Our defense was pretty solid.The 2003 Panthers team had a better Defensive line. The 2010 Panthers team has a better secondary. I'm just praying that Eric Norwood can become a good pass rusher. If he does that, we might be playing in TEXAS this February.

[joemac]

The thing that I am leaning on, keeping my hopes high right now is that Jake Delhomme single handedly lost 3 or 4 games for us last season....now that he is gone and we dont have a INT machine behind center, I can hopefully think we can get 10 this season. Call me an optimist, but the single loss of Peppers on the line doesnt really hurt the team too much, and he is our only big loss....well that an Davis going down again (reallllllly sucks!) Its addition by subtraction with Jake being gone, so im all good with that.