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NFL: 7 biggest surprises through Week 2

By Bryce Olin

Sep 14, 2014; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns defensive end Billy Winn (90) and guard Joel Bitonio (75) celebrate after Billy Cundiff (not pictured) kicked the game winning field goal to defeat the New Orleans Saints 26-24 at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 14, 2014; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns defensive end Billy Winn (90) and guard Joel Bitonio (75) celebrate after Billy Cundiff (not pictured) kicked the game winning field goal to defeat the New Orleans Saints 26-24 at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 14, 2014; Charlotte, NC, USA; Detroit Lions running back Joique Bell (35) gets tackled by Carolina Panthers middle linebacker Luke Kuechly (59) during the first quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 14, 2014; Charlotte, NC, USA; Detroit Lions running back Joique Bell (35) gets tackled by Carolina Panthers middle linebacker Luke Kuechly (59) during the first quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports /

5. Carolina Panthers

Well… this is kind of awkward. I guess I was completely wrong about the Carolina Panthers. It was so obvious they would be bad. Cam Newton was banged up and coming off an ankle surgery this season. He had no receivers good receivers back from last season. The running backs, DeAngelo Williams and Jonathon Stewart are getting old. It seemed like the Panthers would be bad.

Well, I was wrong, but I wasn’t alone. Most reasonable people assumed Carolina would regress in 2014. It seems as though we all forgot about Carolina’s defense, one of the best in the league, and they have proven it again in the first two games of the season.

Carolina is allowing 10.5 points per game, the second-lowest average in league. Granted, the Panthers played the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 1. The Bucs are far from offensive juggernauts. In Week 2, though, the Panthers shut down the Detroit Lions high-flying offense.

The Panthers’ offense has some work to do if this team is going to be successful. Through two weeks, the Panthers are only averaging 22.0 points per game, 17th best in the league. After missing Week 1, Newton looked good, not great, in his first start of the season. As he gets back to 100 percent healthy, I expect his numbers to go up and his production to increase. I’m still a tad skeptical of their receiving corps, although Kelvin Benjamin has looked awesome in his first two NFL games.

If the defense keeps playing like this, Carolina is absolutely a playoff team and possible super bowl contender. Keep a close watch on the Panthers as they move through the season. On Sunday, Newton was sacked four times. The offensive line has to play better than that if this team has super bowl aspirations.

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