The bye week serves an important purpose for the Carolina Panthers and all other NFL teams. Players get a much-needed respite from the physical toll of football and the coaching staff gets an extra week to prepare for their next opponent on the schedule.
For fans it’s not quite as good of a deal, particularly when your team is hot you want them to keep playing.
As Carolina is on a four-game winning streak, the bye comes at a somewhat inopportune time, but if the Panthers can get Luke Kuechly back on the field next week it will all be worth it.