3 silver linings for the Panthers following Week 10 loss vs. Bucs
By Dean Jones
Things can’t get much worse
This might be rock bottom for the Carolina Panthers. It was a completely unacceptable collapse in the second half that told us plenty about what sort of characters within the locker room head coach Matt Rhule has at his disposal when the chips are down.
It’s easy to be motivated when things are going your way. But the former Baylor man is probably finding out more now about certain individuals who aren’t pulling their weight than he has at any stage of the campaign.
Whether they started to believe their media hype after a three-game winning run that now seems like a distant memory or not is unclear. But this was the biggest rude awakening they could possibly receive in front of their home fans.
If the Panthers were hoping for a layup against the Lions, then think again. This is a team that seems to be fighting for every win and did something in Week 10 that Carolina hasn’t yet found a solution to – and that is come through in the clutch to get themselves to 4-5.
It is a stern test of resolve for everybody across the organization. They have two more games before their Week 13 bye and if the Panthers cannot gain some momentum over the next fortnight, it’s going to result in another major overhaul in the spring that could lengthen their rebuilding process.