When the Denver Broncos face the Carolina Panthers this Sunday, many will count it as an easy win for the Broncos. However, things don't work like that in the NFL.
The Panthers, despite being 3-4 this season, are a scrappy team that has lost two games in a row and don't want things to slip away, so the Broncos should expect Dave Canales' team to be laser-focused for this game.
On paper, the Broncos appear to have the advantage basically everywhere in this matchup, but games aren't played on paper. Sean Payton should have his team prepared for a few concerns in this game, a couple of which are more of a mental battle than anything we'll see on the field.
Broncos face three concerns in Week 9 vs. Panthers
11:00 am Mountain Time kickoff
Across the history of the NFL, teams from the West Coast have a difficult time traveling to the East
Coast for early kickoffs. Coming off a hard-fought win over the Kansas City Chiefs last week, the Broncos will need to get up for this game.
The Broncos have two of these East Coast trips this season, with one coming up against the New York Jets in Week 14. It's an added element for a team to deal with, despite how inferior the opponent is. Will it be a factor in this game, or is it all drummed-up hoopla?
Panthers have had extra rest
Whether the early kickoff being an actual concern could be debatable; this one is not.
The Panthers last played on Thursday Night Football in Week 8 and will have had over a week of rest to get ready for this game. Though they are still a pretty banged-up team, they have not only had extra time to get ready, but extra time to sit and stew over their loss to the Green Bay Packers.
The Panthers will be ready to throw everything at the Broncos to avoid a third straight defeat.
Trap game
This is the definition of a trap game in the NFL. The Broncos are the better team and will be picked by most everyone to get the win. But upsets happen regularly in the NFL, and the Panthers have all the makings to catch the Broncos slipping on Sunday.
They have the home-field advantage, they have had the extra rest and despite a solid record, the Broncos have struggled mightily on offense this season. With the right game plan installed by Canales and his coaching staff this week, the Panthers could easily give the Broncos fits in this one.
The Broncos can't overlook the Panthers and need to put constant pressure on Bryce Young, who is being protected by an offensive line that is far from 100 percent, while also taking advantage of their 30th-ranked run defense. If the Broncos do those things, they'll win this game easily. If not, an upset could easily take place.
This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: 3 causes for concern when Broncos play Panthers in Week 9
