Harris: Breaking Down Best, Worst Fantasy Playoff Schedules
It's never too early to start thinking about the fantasy football playoffs.
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It's never too early to start thinking about the fantasy football playoffs.
Blame them all -- the players, Emery, Trestman and DeCamillis. It's that ugly.
We're five games in -- bad play is a troubling trend, not a fluke.
Cam Newton threw two touchdown passes to Greg Olsen and the Carolina Panthers' defense forced four turnovers to overcome a 14-point deficit and defeat the Chicago Bears 31-24 on Sunday.
The Bears are playing their third different offensive line combination in 2014.
Coming off tough losses, both teams are looking to get back on track.
The league's two best rookies square off in Charlotte.
Plus, more on Kyle Fuller's big September and Ka'Deem Carey's spin move.
The 2014 offseason was cruel to the Panthers.
The Carolina Panthers cut the face of the franchise, Steve Smith, and let the only other three wide receivers on the roster that caught a pass last season leave as free agents. Tight end Greg Olsen is the only proven receiver returning from last season's squad. Olsen should be Cam Newton's favorite target this season.
Seattle has the blueprint for how to slow down the NFL's high-octane offenses.
The Carolina Panthers really weren't even expected to contend for a playoff spot this season, but they surpassed all expectations and then some. Unfortunately, a team they got the better of during the regular season got the better of them in the playoffs.
Colin Kaepernick threw one touchdown pass and ran for another score as the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Carolina Panthers 23-10 on Sunday to advance to the NFC championship game for the third straight season.
My hands may be white from all the chalk I pick, you know there will be one supreme surprise this week. But where? Since we went 3-1 last week - losing with the wretched Bengals, like everyone else - let's try our hand at the most heavenly weekend of a most horrible winter.
If last week's Wild Card round - where three of the four games were decided by three points or less - was any indication of how the playoffs will be, this weekend's games should be a treat.
The Carolina Panthers were thrilled to get the first-round bye in the NFL playoffs because it meant one less game between them and the Super Bowl. They were also very grateful for it because it allowed a number of players to fully heal up.
The only two notable names that could miss this Sunday's game between the 49ers and Panthers are Steve Smith and Carlos Rogers. While it's unlikely that Smith will sit, it would not be a surprise to see Rogers not dressed. Regardless of what happens, both teams will be fine, and shouldn't have to make any major adjustments.
When Panthers Coach Ron Rivera said that he felt the team under the most pressure this week will be San Francisco he was dead wrong. Not only is his team the one that HAS to win this game, if he really believes that the Panthers are playing with house money he is setting his team up for failure.
The Carolina Panthers have not been to the playoffs since 2008. The upcoming game against the San Francisco 49ers will mark just the fifth time in franchise history that the Panthers have been to the playoffs, and that means the team is severely lacking in playoff experience.
Up next for the 49ers are the Carolina Panthers. Although the Panthers came to Candlestick earlier this season and beat San Francisco, the 49ers are the better team and have a very good shot at winning their second straight road playoff game.
The Carolina Panthers have a first-round bye in the upcoming playoffs and they have an extra week to prepare for whatever team may end up facing them in Bank of America Stadium. Cam Newton recently said that they don't care who their opponent is, but the key to winning is forgetting about egos and focusing on their opponent.
The Carolina Panthers had to win the last game of the season to get the NFC South title and a first-round bye so it's not like it was a time they could rest their players. Steve Smith had to sit out with an injury, and there were not a lot of other options for Cam Newton to rely on, but there need to be.
The Carolina Panthers started off the season with a 1-3 start, and were tied with the Atlanta Falcons for second place. It wasn't a second place that was even close to the NFC South-leading New Orleans Saints, but the rest of the season proved to turn out completely different.
Fifteen weeks in the books, yet only four playoff tickets - Seattle, Denver, Kansas City, and Indianapolis - have been punched. With two weeks remaining, 19 teams are left in contention for a Super Bowl run.
Bears fans have come to know their first-year coach is one who is willing to take risks.
