Panthers' NFC South Odds Just Took a Turn Nobody Saw Coming

If you had told me after Week 1 that the Panthers would have the best odds to win the NFC South a few weeks later, I probably would've asked what you were watching. Carolina had just given up 59 points to Chicago, the defense looked terrible, and the Panthers turned the ball over three times.

I wasn't thinking about winning the division after that game. I was wondering how bad this season might get.

Well, here we are.

Carolina is now +160 at DraftKings to win the NFC South. The Panthers were +250 at the previous update after opening the season at +350. Atlanta is at +194, New Orleans is +260 and Tampa Bay is all the way down at +1100.

I'm not going to lie, I had to look at those numbers again. We're talking about the same Panthers team that looked completely lost defensively against Chicago, and now they're 2-2, already have a 34-3 win at Atlanta, and just beat Detroit 32-26 on Sunday Night Football.

I've spent the last few weeks trying to figure out what this team is. I'm still not completely sure, but apparently the oddsmakers are starting to believe Carolina might be pretty good.

Maybe These Odds Aren't That Crazy

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I know how ridiculous that would've sounded after the Chicago game. I wouldn't have bought it then, either. But look around the NFC South right now and tell me who is running away with this thing.

Carolina and Atlanta are both 2-2, and the Panthers already went to Atlanta and beat the Falcons by 31 points. New Orleans is 1-3, and Tampa Bay is 0-4. Four games isn't much, but it's enough for me to look at this division and think, why not Carolina?

Then there's Bryce Young. I've written enough about how well he's playing, so I'm not going to do the whole thing again here. But 1,268 passing yards and nine touchdowns through four games isn't something I can just ignore, especially after he threw for 329 yards and two touchdowns against Detroit.

And it's not just DraftKings that has started looking at Carolina differently. ESPN's Football Power Index gives the Panthers a 48% chance to win the NFC South, with Atlanta next at 31%.

That's where I started looking at this a little differently myself. One sportsbook moving Carolina after a Sunday night win is one thing. When you start seeing numbers like that in other places, maybe there's actually something here.

I'm Still Not Completely There Yet

Here's what keeps stopping me from going all the way with this. I've changed my mind about the Panthers about three times already, and somehow we're only four games into the season.

They were awful against Chicago. Then they went to Atlanta and won 34-3, and I started thinking maybe Week 1 was just one of those games. Then Carolina lost at Cleveland, and I was right back to wondering what this team was.

So, of course, the Panthers turned around and beat Detroit in a game I picked them to lose.

That's been this season so far. Every time I think I've figured Carolina out, they give me something else to think about.

There are still things I don't trust. The defense has had its moments, but Jared Goff just threw for 412 yards against this secondary. The injuries have also gotten ridiculous, and we don't know exactly who Carolina is getting back after the bye.

But maybe I've been holding that Chicago game against them too much. Since then, Carolina has won two of three, nearly won the Cleveland game, and already has a road win over Atlanta. If this division is still close later in the season, that Atlanta win could end up meaning a whole lot.

Now the Panthers get the bye, and I don't think anybody in that building is complaining about having it this early anymore. After that, we'll get Philadelphia, Tampa Bay, and Green Bay. Ask me what I think about Carolina's chances after those three, and I might have a much better answer.

I'm still not ready to say the Panthers are definitely winning the NFC South. There's too much football left, and this team has already fooled me more than once.

But +160?

After Week 1, I would've thought that was crazy.

I'm not laughing at it anymore.

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