When the 2026 schedule came out, it seemed like the upcoming stretch of games for the Carolina Panthers would be the most difficult part of their season. Now, the outlook is entirely different.
After upsetting the Detroit Lions
last Sunday night, the Panthers have had a week off to get healthy and prepare for the Philadelphia Eagles. And going on the road to face one of the conference's juggernauts is, of course, usually a daunting challenge.However, the Eagles are far from their best, and far from being a juggernaut, going into their Week 6 matchup with the Panthers.
Philadelphia just lost their third straight game here in Week 5. This time, in an overseas bout in London, they fell to the Jacksonville Jaguars on a 57-yard field goal as time expired.
The biggest problem for the Eagles is that their offense is falling apart. Injuries have decimated their offensive line, and the sudden retirement of star right tackle Lane Johnson this past week definitely didn't help matters.
At the moment, the Eagles' once-vaunted run game is vaunted no more. With star running back Saquon Barkley sidelined with a hamstring injury, they managed a pitiful 22 yards on the ground against the Jaguars.
This is just one game, though. The Eagles also blew a 10-point lead last week against Matt Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams. And the week before, they were upset by the Chicago Bears—who were starting their third-string quarterback in Case Keenum.
A fully-healthy Eagles team would still be dangerous, but this three-game stretch is a lesson in how quickly your season can go south in the NFL. And the Panthers, who are dealing with a mountain of injuries as well, probably don't mind that downward trajectory going into their showdown next weekend.
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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Panthers' upcoming opponent drops 3rd straight game in Week 5
