5 Carolina Panthers with everything to lose over final 2 games of 2021
By Dean Jones
Matt Rhule – Carolina Panthers HC
It was another bizarre afternoon for Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Being soundly beaten by the defending Super Bowl champions was expected -even though they were missing multiple key men – but what transpired after the game was another strong indicator of just how much pressure he’s under right now.
Quoting Jay-Z as an “overnight sensation” and referencing the Fresh Prince was strange, in all honesty. But the only way Rhule is going to convince naysayers he is the right man to lead this team moving forward is by results and progression.
Something that’s not been anywhere near the required standard from Week 3 onwards.
Nobody expected the Panthers to be legitimate Super Bowl contenders this season. But there is a big chance they could be a five-win team for the third-straight campaign if they cannot pull one more victory out of the bag.
There is now a large section of fans that have already made their mind up about Rhule. A situation that’s made worse by the fact he gets the final say on all personnel moves.
Two more losses to conclude the campaign might not mean that much to team owner David Tepper with nothing to play for. It appears as if the billionaire will move forward with Rhule in 2022, but more inept performances might force a change of heart.