1 There's another gear the running game hasn't gotten to yet. If the starting offensive line can get back together and stay healthy, that may give rookie Jonathan Stewart a chance to really show what he can do. Combined with DeAngelo Williams' much-improved play, the Panthers have the potential to become dominant on the ground.

2 Speaking of the offensive line, it's about time they managed to play a full game together. So far, they haven't finished a half. They need to stay healthy to give the Panthers their best chance at making a strong run toward, and in, the playoffs.

3 Second-year players Dwayne Jarrett, a wide receiver, and Charles Johnson, a defensive end, finished strong in the first half and could be on the verge of becoming much more prominent players. That's what the Panthers hoped would happen this season. Jarrett was a second-round pick in the 2007 draft and Johnson was a third-rounder.

4 Will tight end Dante Rosario resurface as a significant threat on offense? After a huge opening day at San Diego, he's been quiet, failing to score since catching the game-winning TD in Week 1. His performance against the Chargers wasn't a fluke because Carolina coaches saw a matchup they liked and took advantage of it. Others teams also have profited from the fact that San Diego has difficulty defending tight ends.

5 Julius Peppers had a solid first half of the season, but needs to play even better in the second half. So far, he has four sacks. Due to his enormous talent, it's reasonable to expect him to finish with 10 or more, which he did four of his first six seasons.

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