Categories
NFL

2012 Carolina Panthers Sportsbook Gambling Odds | Preview | Picks

Panthers 2012-2013 NFL Futures Lines & Predictions

The Panthers landed the QB they have been looking for in Cam Newton, who had a great rookie season passing for over 4,000 yards. DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart are a great RB duo and Newton is already a star, but can the Panthers’ defense, which ranked 24th against the pass and 25th against the run, improve?

2012 Carolina Panthers Team Preview /Predictions
2011 Record: 6-10
ATS Record: 9-7
2012 Panthers Futures
Super Bowl Odds: 35-1
Conference Odds: 18-1
NFC South Odds: +450 
2012-2013 NFL Regular Season Wins: 7.5

Panthers Preview

Newton had the most passing yards every by a rookie and became the first player ever to pass for 4,ooo yards and rush for 500 yards. Can he do that again? Steve Smith is his leading WR and he is 33 yards of age. Still, Smith had nearly 1,400 receiving yards last season and he will be key this season. No 2 WR Brandon LaFell had half as many receiving yards as Smith and he will have to step up this season. TE Greg Olsen has to rebound from a terrible season and the team is hoping 4th round pick WR Joe Adams can stretch the passing offense.

Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams will continue to share carries this season and the Panthers made a solid off-season addition in FB Mike Tolbert, who is a solid back that has pass-catching abilities. The offensive line is a good one, but RT Jeff Otah has missed most of the last 2 seasons with knee problems. Carolina used their 2nd round pick to take the raw OG Amini Silatolu and he may start right away.

OK, so you can see the Panthers’ offense should be solid again, but then there’s the defense.

Charles Johnson signed a huge contract in the off-season after 9 sacks last season and while he and Greg Hardy played well the rest of the front line defense really struggled. That is why they used their first round pick to take LB Luke Kuechly, who is a tackling machine. He and the solid James Anderson should make the Panthers’ front line D better than it was last season.  [soliloquy id=”82219″]

The Carolina pass defense is a big question mark and only one player from that area played well last season and that was Chris Gamble. Brandon Hogan is still hampered by a knee injury sustained a couple of years back, SS Charles Godfrey struggles in coverage, and FS Sherrod Martin is not a good run defender. The Panthers did sign 2 free agents to help the secondary in Haruki Nakamura and Reggie Smith, but neither should have a big impact. Carolina is really high on 5th round pick CB Josh Norman, who has looked fantastic in the off-season workouts.

Newton struggled down the stretch last season with only 1 game in his last 6 where he threw for over 208 yards. He lit it up in the first half of last season and must play well all season for the Panthers to have any chance to make the playoffs.

The Panthers have a tough schedule this season not only having to face the Falcons and Saints twice, but they host the Giants, Cowboys, Broncos, and Raiders and they hit the road to face the Bears, Redskins, Eagles, Chiefs, and Chargers.

Newton will, once again, lead a solid, offense, but with the big issues on defense and the tough schedule I do not think the Panthers will make the playoffs. I see them improving on their record from last year, as I see them going 7-9.

2012 Panthers Predictions:

Place they’ll finish in NFC South 3rd
Place they’ll finish in NFC Conference: 10th  
Over/Under Wins Prediction: Under

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE TOP CAPPERS FOR NFL FOOTBALL BETTING THIS SEASON —–>

By Jason Green

Jason Green is back with Cappers Picks again to give out his free sports plays. As always he's hoping the Braves and Redskins can win a championship since their last one in the 90’s was long ago. He’s starting to know the pain of Cubs fans.