It may seem a little early to start throwing around the words must-win, but Sunday’s game against Atlanta is a big one for the Carolina Panthers. After giving up 59 points in the season-opening loss to Chicago, the last thing Carolina wants to do is follow that up by starting the season 0-2.

The good news for the Panthers is they really didn’t lose any ground after Week 1 because every team in the NFC South lost. Now they have a chance to put that loss behind them and pick up their first win of the season against a division opponent.

A loss would not end Carolina’s season, but starting 0-2 with one of those losses coming against Atlanta would definitely make things a lot tougher.

Here are three reasons why Sunday already feels like a game the Panthers really need to win.

Starting 0-2 Would Put Carolina in an Early Hole

In Week 1, Carolina caught a break. Every NFC South team lost, so while the Bears game did sting, it didn’t hurt the Panthers in the division standings. However, that will change this Sunday when Carolina opens up division play against Atlanta.

Atlanta is battling injuries at quarterback, and this could be an opportunity for Carolina to leave with a win but also give this defense some confidence after so many are doubting them following the Chicago game.

If you want to see how every game matters in this division, then look no further than last season. Carolina, Atlanta, and Tampa Bay all finished 8-9, and the division was ultimately decided by a tiebreaker.

Yes, there are still 15 games left in the season, but there’s a big difference between 1-1 and 0-2. Carolina swept the series against Atlanta last season, and those two wins proved to be huge in helping the Panthers win the division.

The Panthers will have to do it on the road this time, but they have won their last three games against the Falcons. Nothing is ever a given in this division, and Carolina found that out plenty of times last season.

Carolina Needs to Show Chicago Was Just One Bad Game

Carolina needs this opportunity to distance themselves from the Chicago game. Nobody is going to deny that the defensive performance was a disaster. However, this is their opportunity to show that game was a one-off and not a trend to be expected.

If they can pick up a win this Sunday, that can help build confidence and quiet some of the doubters. One game does not define a season. It’s a long way from over, and this will be the first chance to see what adjustments Carolina makes after what happened in Chicago.

If Carolina has another defensive performance like last Sunday, then the questions surrounding this defense will only get louder. At that point, it becomes harder to look at Week 1 as simply one bad game.

These Are the Games Carolina Has to Win

If Carolina expects to win the division again, it starts this Sunday. Last season showed just how close the NFC South can be, and beating a team they swept last year becomes even more important when you know how much those division games can matter later.

Starting 0-2 would already be a tough hole, but starting 0-2 with a division loss makes it that much more difficult. Carolina also doesn't want to spend the rest of the season trying to make up ground because of a division game they had an opportunity to win.

Good teams find ways to win the games they should. If Carolina wants to prove that last season’s division title was the beginning of something and not just a one-year run, Sunday would be a good place to start.

Calling any game in September a must-win can sound like an overreaction. There will still be 15 games left no matter what happens on Sunday, and Carolina will have plenty of opportunities to turn things around.

However, if the Panthers want to show that last season was the start of something, these are the games they need to win. Going on the road, beating a division opponent, and putting what happened against Chicago behind them would be a pretty good way to get this season headed back in the right direction.