Carolina Panthers: The Most Undercovered Team in the NFL

Could their be a team more unheralded than the Carolina Panthers?

A week removed from a blowout of NFC South rival Tampa Bay Bucs, where the Panthers' backfield gained over 300 yards and scored four times as many touchdowns as Monte Kiffin's D has allowed all season, and a day after a 30-10 yawner over the AFC West leading Denver Broncos, the Panthers are hardly covered by the mainstream media.

Yeah, you could argue that the team is getting attention by playing on Monday next week, and Sunday night next week, but honestly how much talk have you heard about a team that is tied for first in the NFC?

Sure, we love the attention of another T.O. meltdown, or a terrible referee call in Baltimore, but if the Nielsen Ratings could measure media coverage per win, the Panthers could be at the bottom of the league. 

The teams recent accomplishments are outstanding in comparison to the so called "top teams" in the NFL. The Giants, Steelers, Titans, and Bucs, either lost, or should have lost. If your keeping record at home that is the No. 1, 2, 3, and distant fourth most covered teams in the league not based in Dallas.

I think the Titans are a great team and were undercovered for much of the season, but we all knew Kerry Collins would falter eventually, and the media flocked to Nashville to cover the Oilers—I mean Titans.

By holding Jay Cutler and his high-flying offense to 10 points, ZERO in the second half, and holding a Tampa team that for weeks was the sexy pick for a contender to the Giants in the NFC to a lone TD in the second half, the Panthers should be covered for their swarming young defense led by the No. 2 highest tackler in the NFL, Jon Beason, and the No. 6 sack leader in the NFL Julius Peppers.

The offense is even better. 

DeAngelo Williams has the fourth most rushing yards in the NFL and has the second most TDs for a Running Back. Along with DeAngelo is talented rook Jonathan Stewart, who together have the most rushing yards for a backfield in the NFL. 

Oh yeah, there's this guy named Steve Smith. He's OK. With 1,240 receiving yards he is third in the NFL in receiving yards despite missing the first two games of the season.

There might be a good team that might be more unheralded than the Panthers. But I haven't heard of them—yet.