Hooray! We're 6-2 and everything is going great! But what's that little shadow sneaking under your bed? What is that monster in your closet ready to attack? Oh no! It can't be! It's the Bye Week!
It's a disaster everyone! The world is coming to an end! Whatever shall we do on Sunday without the Panthers to watch? Who shall help us overcome the boredom that is Sunday? Who will give us the inspiration to live out the rest of the week? Curse you. Curse you dreaded Bye Week! How dare you. How dare you take our Panthers away from us? We hate you!
Shannanigance aside this Bye week couldn't have come at a better time. This year we get the bye right smack dab in the middle of the season in week 8. We may not have any notable injuries besides Ryan Kalil and Jeff Otah, but everyone has to lick their wounds even if they aren't bad enough to keep them off the football field.. Our offensive line was not at our full strength on Sunday and it showed in the first Quarter with the running game completely shut down. Luckily, we got back to our feet and started going in the 3rd Quarter, paving the way for another 100 yard day for Williams and another victory. Even though we were successful, it is still a good thing to have all your starters on the field. This extra week will be able to do just that, and you'll be seeing Otah and Kalil back very soon. Two weeks from now you'll find a revived and refreshed Panther team ready to slaughter the Raiders and their 27th ranked rushing defense, and they'll be more than willing to do just that.
In the meantime, I implore all of you to still watch football on Sunday. Let your jaw drop as the Dolphins turn from being one of the worst teams in NFL history into a average team once more. Shrug your shoulders at the Titans for having the 9th rated offense in the NFL yet they can't run the ball. Ponder the disappearance of elite teams such as the Colts and the Patriots, and witness the ageless legend in New York known as Brett Favre do his thing. What I mean to say is that there is plenty of other teams playing in the NFL next Sunday, so please watch them and get to know all of the other teams! Build your knowledge of them, for one day we might be facing them as an opponent.
"Know thy enemy and know thyself, and thou shall have naught to fear in any battle. Know not thine enemy and know thyself, thou shall find victory and defeat in equal measure." -Sun Tzu