The Carolina Panthers might look like a team that's come from nowhere to suddenly look like a potential Super Bowl team, but it's hardly news to those fans familiar with the team over the past two seasons. Flash back a season ago, all the way back to the preseason to be exact, and you'll see almost the same powerhouse team that's surprising the NFL right now. But injuries to an already think offensive line led to a major, season-ending injury for Jake Delhomme and the Panthers limped through the season. During the offseason, Panther fans knew that in order for the Panthers to have a successful enough season for playoff tickets to go on sale, they'd have to make some significant changes, especially on the offensive line.

Head coach John Fox could hear the rumors about his job, and the team went out and bolstered their offensive line with draft picks and free agents, and then brought back fan favorite wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad, who had been playing for the Chicago Bears for the last three seasons. At first, it appeared that the Panthers were better, but not back to the form that took them to the Super Bowl a few years ago. In order to reach that level of play, the Panthers would need to improve their passing attack, add some more help in the rushing game and shore up the defense. The Panthers have long been a strong defensive team and when the defense falters as it has over the past two years, the Panthers winning chances suffer.

As the season progressed, the Panthers managed to get a few wins that they had to battle out, and they also had some big wins, but the inconsistency in their winning ways led many to believe that they weren't a serious contender for the playoffs.

But now, the Panthers have proven they are again for real, with a coming out party on Monday Night Football against division rivals and playoff contending Tampa Bay. The Panthers battled and pounded the ball with the running game, proving that not only are they a formidable team, but the strongest running attack in the NFL. Now the Panthers are headed to the playoffs, and fans are excited by the prospect that they might again have a chance to play in the biggest game of them all, the Super Bowl.