NFL Carolina Panthers

Carolina Panthers Look To Get Healthy During Extended Break

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DeAngelo Williams Panthers

Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

The Carolina Panthers will have had 10 days off when they take the field in Philadelphia on Monday night against the Philadelphia Eagles. Thanks to back-to-back prime time games that started last Thursday night against the New Orleans Saints, the Panthers will hope to right the ship this season with the extended break between games. While the 10 days off will slightly change the preparation for Monday night’s game, the key to that amount of time off for Carolina will be to get as healthy as possible heading into the second half of the season.

During Thursday night’s disappointing 28-10 home loss to New Orleans, the Panthers were decimated by injuries along the offensive line. Starting left tackle Byron Bell and both starting guards Trai Turner and Amini Silatolu were out with injuries. The Panthers’ backfield has been a shuffle all season long. Running back DeAngelo Williams returned to action after missing the previous six games with an ankle injury. Jonathan Stewart has played in just six of the teams nine games, while fullback Mike Tolbert broke his leg in Week 3 and can’t return until Week 13, at the earliest.

With good fortune and modern healing, Carolina hopes to get all three injured offensive lineman back for the game at Philadelphia on Monday. After that they host the Atlanta Falcons in Week 11 before finally getting to their bye week in Week 12. If there is ever a time where the Panthers will be able to get as healthy as possible, it will be over the next three weeks. This is key because while their 3-5-1 start hasn’t been promising, they are still just a game behind the division leading Saints.

With Eagles quarterback Nick Foles out, Carolina will face Mark Sanchez, Teddy Bridgewater, Mike Glennon, and Brian Hoyer in four of their last seven games this season, with the other three being divisional games against Atlanta and New Orleans. If the Panthers can get healthier over the next couple of weeks and start playing the defensive football that they are capable of, they still have a very good shot at winning the NFC South.

Andrew Skaggs is a Carolina Panthers writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @RantSkaggs and add him on Google.

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