Carolina Panthers Look to Return to Playoffs After Dissapointing '08 Finish

They had a 12-5 record.

They saw the emergence of one of the NFL's elite running backs.

They welcomed back one of the NFL's greatest wide receivers.

Coming off that kind of success in 2008 would be a wonderful way for almost any NFL team to enter the 2009 season.

Not the Carolina Panthers.

A shockingly one-sided defeat in the playoffs to the future NFC Champion Arizona Cardinals left a sour taste in the mouths of many Panther fans.

The Panthers return many parts of their 2008 NFC South championship squad. They also have a new attitude and a new-look defensive coaching staff that give fans reasons to be excited.

Running back DeAngelo Williams (1,515 yards, 18 TDs) was the NFL's third-leading rusher. Jonathan Stewart (836 yards, 10 TDs as a rookie) will be looking to avoid a sophomore slump. Also returning is the entire starting offensive line, which includes All-Pro Jordan Gross and massive second-year man Jeff Otah. 

The receivers feature fan favorite Mushin Muhammad (923 yards, five TDs) and Pro Bowler Steve Smith (1,421 yards, six TDs). Also returning from injury, is Jason Carter, who excited many Panthers fans and coaches in the '08 preseason. 

Jake Delhomme has more questions hanging over his head this year than in any previous. Delhomme ended his '08 season with six turnovers, including five interceptions against the questionable Cardinals defense in the playoffs. The Panthers brought in quarterbacks coach Rip Scherer to help Delhomme in the offseason.

Carolina also has third-year QB Matt Moore from Oregon State, who went 2-1 as a starter in the injury-riddled 2007 season. There's also Josh McCown, acquired in a trade last year with the Oakland Raiders, and undrafted free-agent Hunter Cantwell from Louisville.

The Panthers biggest question mark entering the '09 season is defense.

With the departure of Mike Trgovac and the arrival of new coordinator Ron Meeks, the Panthers look to turn around a defense that ranked 18th overall in the NFL last season.

Franchised Julius Peppers was absent from offseason mini-camps and is requesting a trade. The Panthers gave up their 2010 first-round pick to move up and select Florida State standout defensive end Everette Brown with the 43rd overall pick. In total, Carolina used four of its seven picks on defense, including defensive backs Sherrod Martin (Troy State) and Captain Munnerlyn (South Carolina). 

Carolina returns every starter on defense with the possible exception of Peppers, who is holding out.

Definitely back will be All-Pro LB Jon Beason and safeties Chris Harris and Charles Godfrey. Godfrey showed immense promise during his rookie season.

Ron Meeks has been given tools to formulate a borderline great defense that can hopefully vault Carolina back into Super Bowl contention. But the Panthers face one of the league's toughest schedules and play in one of the toughest divisions.To win, Carolina must do one thing well:

Play defense.

The NFC South features one of the league's best QBs, Drew Brees, and one of its emerging superstars, Matt Ryan. With the addition of Tony Gonzalez to the Atlanta Falcons, Ryan has another weapon to go along with Michael Turner and Roddy White.

Carolina must continue to play the brand of football Coach John Fox is known for, a punishing running game with tough solid defense.

In 2008 the Panthers were among the league's best at running the football. Williams, who led all NFL running backs with 18 TDs, and Stewart, who had 10, formed the punishing backfield that Fox had been searching for since the departure of Stephen Davis in 2006. 

If the Carolina Panthers can run the ball as effectively as they did in '08 and play solid defense in a tough division, they are sure to enjoy success similar to their 12-4 record in 2008. 

However, if Carolina cannot improve on defense and continues to allow third-down conversions at a 40 percent clip—as they did in 2008—they are sure to fall short of their goals.