2009-2010 Carolina Panthers: My Expectations as of May

I know it's May, but football season is right around the corner. We just finished off the NFL Draft.

Now it's almost time for preseason football, and there are still too many unanswered questions in Charlotte for the Carolina Panthers.

The 2008-2009 Panthers were probably the best team in the history of the franchise, winning the NFC South for only the second time (the first was in 2003, when they faced the Patriots in the Super Bowl).

Last year, the Panthers were led on offense by their power running duo of DeAngelo Williams and rookie Jonathan Stewart. Williams led in touchdowns, but Stewart showed Panther Nation a ton of potential.

But the Panthers hit rock bottom in 2009 in the divisional playoffs against the Cardinals. Arizona man-handled Carolina in a 33-13 stomping in Charlotte.

It is one thing to get stomped on the road, but when you're at home in the playoffs, it's a whole new chapter to a different story.

The 2009-2010 Carolina Panthers are the same exact story that you read in last year. The story, so far, is all about Julius Peppers.

The former first round pick by the Panthers wants to leave the Panthers. He was hit with the franchise tag, and so far has not cooperated with the team.

So with that being said, let us take a look at the Carolina Panthers defense for 2009-2010.

With no Peppers, our defensive line is dwindled down to Tyler Brayton, Charles Johnson, and Hilee Taylor. With Peppers last season, the Panthers were 20th in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game.

I hate to say it, but without Peppers, I don't see the Panthers' defense improving.

In passing yards allowed, the Panthers were literally a middle-of-the-road team, ranked 16th in the NFL.

So let's do a little Peppers equation. No Peppers on the defensive line equals less pressure on the quarterback. Less pressure on the quarterback equals more time in the pocket to throw the ball.

If this was the AFC, the Panthers' issues probably wouldn't be as bad.

But when you're 2009-2010 schedule has you playing two games each against Drew Brees, Matt Ryan, Donovan McNabb, Tony Romo, Kurt Warner, Tom Brady, Eli Manning, and possibly Brett Favre (if the Vikings rumors are true), not getting pressure on the quarterback can hurt your team.

Last season, the Panthers were ninth in the NFL in sacks with 37. Peppers had 14.5 of those. If you subtract Peppers' stats, the Panthers had 23.5 team sacks, making the team 29th in the NFL.

But lets be honest, half of the time other people on the Panthers had sacks, it was because Peppers was getting double-teamed.

Without Peppers, our defense is bowling shoe ugly.

Now, on with the Panthers offense.

Our offense was our strong point last season. We had a top five rusher with Williams, and a top five receiver with Steve Smith. However, that offense was no where to be found in the last game against the Cardinals in the playoffs.

Quarterback Jake Delhomme threw five interceptions in that game, afterwhich many Panthers fans were quick to fire insults at him.

Well, Carolina management fired back, giving him an extension until 2014. Needless to say, Delhomme is in charge of the Panthers' offense once again.

Delhomme's playoff interceptions came mostly as a result of the pressure on Smith. Smith and Muhsin Muhammad didn't get any help in the NFL draft, as the Panthers looked in a defensive direction.

The Panthers' offense was the staple of the team in 2008, and it should be again in 2009. But how far can the Panthers possibly go?

I think, as a Panthers fan, the highest you can possibly predict at this point is an NFC Wild Card position. We definitely have a team that can win seven games and steal two more.

The Panthers are the Cardiac Cats for a reason, and they can make the playoffs if they work as a team and not as a bunch of individuals.

However, if our defense doesn't play strong, we could easily finish last in what looks like the best division in football.