No, the Panthers are a legit contender. They have Newton and a strong D. Granted, they have next to no weapons on offense, but every team in the NFC has at least one huge flaw.
The Bengals, on the other hand, need Dalton and Lewis to prove it in the playoffs.
Jordan Hicks is out for the year. Sucks. He was the front runner for DROY. At least it's a position with amazing depth.