NFC: Going back to the NFL playoffs in 2014 if…

Carolina Panthers

If: Ron Rivera’s defense is as good as or perhaps even better than it was a year ago when it allowed the second-fewest yards and second-fewest points in the league. There are a few new faces in the secondary in safeties Thomas DeCoud and Roman Harper and cornerback Antoine Cason. But there’s plenty of 2013 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Luke Kuechly and a pass rush that totaled an NFL-high 60 sacks, 15 of those by defensive end Greg Hardy.

And: The changes on the offensive line pan out quickly. The offseason retirement of 11-year left tackle Jordan Gross was a big of a surprise and now Byron Bell slides over to his spot, with Nate Chandler at right tackle. The Panthers still have one of the best centers in the league in Ryan Kalil but also have a new right guard in rookie Trai Turner.

But: We all know that no team has ever won the NFC South in back-to-back seasons and the Panthers could be hard-pressed with all of their changes, especially on offense. More importantly, this club has to avoid another terrible start. A year ago, the team overcame a 1-3 start to win a division title. The previous two seasons, Rivera’s club dropped eight of his first 10 games.

Conclusion: Ron Rivera’s club has its share of new faces on the offensive side of the ball. Combine that with the fact that Newton has been on the mend most of the offseason and it is hard to believe that an already-suspect Carolina offense will be clicking on all cylinders. And even the best of defenses can wear out without a lot of offensive support.