5 most winnable games 49ers will have on 2022 NFL calendar
By Peter Panacy
49ers Opponent No. 3: Carolina Panthers
Another East Coast road game might be just as challenging, as San Francisco is poised to travel back east to take on the Carolina Panthers under surprisingly not-fired head coach Matt Rhule.
Whether or not Carolina made the right decision there is another matter and not necessarily a problem for the 49ers. Yet it doesn’t change the fact the Panthers are at a bit of a crossroads this offseason.
True, Carolina got off to a hot start in 2021, winning its first three games but ultimately falling apart, finishing 5-12 and ending up dead last in an otherwise uninspiring NFC South.
While the exceptionally talented running back, Christian McCaffrey, causes all sorts of problems, and Rhule has desperately tried rebuilding both sides of the ball the last two years, it’s clear quarterbacks Sam Darnold and Cam Newton aren’t it. Going into 2022 with no clear answer under center is not going to be an easy recipe for success, and the Panthers lack the overall NFL Draft capital to aggressively trade for a high-caliber signal-caller outside their first-round selection.
Carolina isn’t scheduled to pick again until Round 4.
Provided 2022 is another long season for the Panthers, the Niners should have no trouble winning this game.