This is not the Carolina Panthers team you remember from past seasons – the team that struggled to win games, the team that searched for answers, the team that, frankly, offered just enough pushback to make things interesting, but not enough to actually beat you.

This Carolina Panthers team is good.

Period.

The Panthers have an explosive offense, a defense that takes the football away, a special teams unit that threatens on every kick, and a coaching staff that has full command of the locker room.

So, the Eagles have a big-time task on Sunday at 1 PM (CBS, SportsRadio 94WIP) with the Panthers in town for the game, presented by Jefferson Health, as part of the celebration of the NFL's Crucial Catch initiative at Lincoln Financial Field. And with that, a whole lot of storylines that add an incredible amount of intrigue to the matchup ...

1. Tanner McKee starts at quarterback for the Eagles

This is McKee's third career start, and his first in a game that isn't Week 18. He took all the first-team reps on Thursday and Friday and he has a command of the game plan. McKee and Offensive Coordinator Sean Mannion spent a lot of time together during the week discussing specifics that fit McKee's skill set, so we will see what looks different about the scheme. No doubt, this is a great opportunity for McKee against a Carolina defense that has played much better after a Game 1 struggle against a Bears offense that put up 59 points. The Panthers are on the rise, and they are likely to try a variety of things to take advantage of McKee's lack of game experience.

2. As for the rest of the Philadelphia offense ...

McKee is not going to be out there by himself. There is a supporting cast of players that have to play at a high level as well to overcome Carolina's defense. So, who is playing? Wide receiver DeVonta Smith is ready to play after missing the last two games with a hamstring injury. Center Drew Kendall (knee) is questionable. The Eagles would like to take pressure off McKee and get the running game going against a defense that gives up 156.5 yards on the ground per game. Dameon Pierce is in line to get the bulk of the work here with Saquon Barkley still on the mend with his hamstring injury. Mannion hasn't been handed a smooth path in his first year as offensive coordinator, so he has a great challenge on Sunday.

3. The injury report is top of mind beyond QB

We know that Jalen Hurts is out with a superficial blood clot on his calf. We know that outside linebacker Jalyx Hunt is out with knee/ankle injuries and outside linebacker A.J. Epenesa is doubtful with a back injury. The Eagles had a staggering 25 players on the injury report during the week and that impacts every level of the roster. There is some good news here, with Smith back and outside linebacker Jonathan Greenard also ready to let it rip against Carolina. Safety Marcus Epps (groin) is also back in the lineup, which is timely with defensive back Michael Carter II out with an abdomen injury.

4. Carolina's offense is lethal

On to the Panthers and why they are such a dangerous team at 2-2 and coming off the bye week. Carolina can score points in bunches. They are second in the NFL in passing yards per game (301.3). Quarterback Bryce Young has developed into a dual-threat player and he has some dynamic weapons (more on that below) to utilize in the passing game. Carolina is healthy along the offensive line and the Panthers have an outstanding scheme. Don't go into this game thinking the Panthers are the Panthers from past seasons. Once again, this is a terrific, explosive offense led by a former No. 1 overall draft pick who has found his footing in the NFL.

5. Great matchups to watch in this one

We talk about the outstanding wide receiver groups the Eagles face from season to season and, true, there are many. Well, include Carolina's receivers in that conversation. Second-year man Tetairoa McMillan went for 14 receptions, 192 yards, and two touchdowns in the Panthers' win over Detroit, earning him NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors. He's a beast at 6-4, 220 pounds. Jalen Coker was undrafted in 2024 and he's worked himself into a solid No. 2 receiver. Brycen Tremayne is a 6-4, 212-pound second-year player who has come on the last two games in Coker's absence with a groin injury. The tight ends are playmakers. So, we're looking at great matchups with cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell, Riq Woolen, and Cooper DeJean. The safeties are going to be tested. How will Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio use the linebacking corps? On offense, the Eagles are going to see a great linebacker in Devin Lloyd, who is all over the field for the Panthers. Philadelphia needs to account for him on every play. Derrick Brown is one of the NFL's best interior linemen and former Eagle Jaelan Phillips is capable of taking over a game with his power and speed from the edge.

6. Winning the second half of this game

Philadelphia continues to search for the formula to put it all together for 60 minutes. The Eagles have gone toe-to-toe against two of the league's best teams – the Rams and the Jaguars – these last two weeks with a roster that has been severely compromised by injury. That's encouraging. Margins in the NFL are very narrow, as we know, and playing well for 60 minutes is imperative. How can the Eagles improve their performance in the second half of games? This is the goal, right? It will take a full 60 to beat Carolina. The usual metrics matter – turnovers (Carolina has forced eight turnovers), red zone performance (Philadelphia's touchdown efficiency is outstanding, at 50 percent) – but the bottom line is that the Eagles need to play a good football game for all four quarters.