1-2 is simply not a good start. Historically, now, and forever in the world of football. The Carolina Panthers are listed at just a 12.9% chance to make the playoffs after the rocky 1-2 beginning to the 2012 NFL Season. They play the division leading, undefeated Atlanta Falcons this weekend, in the Georgia Dome. This will undoubtedly be a difficult game for the Panthers, and they need many improvements from all facets of the game: Offense, Defense, and Special Teams.

I was one of the radical supporters who said that the Panthers would actually end up with the NFC South Division crown at the end of the year. I refuse to ditch my viewpoint as of yet, but they absolutely will not win anything if they continue to play as they did in Week 1 vs Tampa and especially Week 3 vs the Giants. In both of those games, the offense was anemic, the defense couldn't seem to make a stop, and the special teams was missing plays left and right. Those games were not how winners played; not how playoff teams played. This team was, and still is, filled with potential, but they have to translate potential to on field results, which they did in Week 2.

The Week 2 performance against last year's NFC South winning, 0-3 this year, Saints really excited many Panthers' fans, even after the disappointment of the first week. The offense moved the ball down the field consistently, the defense held Drew Brees and the Saints offense in check, and event our troubled special teams managed to make the necessary plays. That game looked like that of a team who had practiced well all week, then moved those results onto the field on Sunday.

It's not easy to say which Panthers team will show up tomorrow, but Carolina fans had better hope that it is the week 2 one, or they won't stay competitive. The Panthers have underachieved so far, and will need to play well the rest of the year to overcome it. By no means is it impossible, but it is no easy task. It's Panthers vs Falcons tomorrow, and it must be the start of a Carolina Panthers comeback.