What are the major differences across the Carolina Panthers under interim head coach Steve Wilks since Matt Rhule was fired?
There are just five games remaining for the Carolina Panthers in 2022. However, there is still a lot on the line and the future of interim head coach Steve Wilks beyond the current campaign is the talk of the town right now.
Matt Rhule’s cataclysmic three years at the helm came with no progression and turned the Panthers into the league’s laughing stock. Thankfully, team owner David Tepper eventually saw sense and removed the former Bayor man, who got back in the saddle quickly thanks to a bumper eight-year contract worth a reported $72 million to take over at Nebraska.
Wilks has left a tremendous impression since his promotion. It’s not where the respected figure wants it to be just yet, but the growing calls for Tepper to remove the interim tag are a testament to his vast improvements in a relatively short timeframe.
On this topic, we picked out four major Panthers’ differences under Wilks’ leadership in 2022.
Difference No. 1
Carolina Panthers are better prepared
One of the biggest criticisms of Matt Rhule was his inability to prepare or adjust effectively before and during NFL games. The excuses were lengthy whenever the Carolina Panthers fell flat on their face – which was often – but talk is cheap and Steve Wilks’ all-business approach and professional attitude are having the desired effect.
Wilks is a legitimate coach that knows how to scheme things up according to the opposition’s strengths and weaknesses. He also knows how to maximize the weapons at his disposal, which is helping enormously.
Carolina is still finding life difficult on the road. But they can at least go into almost every game knowing they have a shot thanks to the knowledge they acquire during their weekly game planning.
Carolina Panthers are creating a home fortress
Bank of America Stadium wasn’t a happy hunting ground for Matt Rhule. The Carolina Panthers went a full calendar year without winning on home soil under his leadership, with a dismal loss against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 5 turning out to be the final straw for team owner David Tepper thanks to a perceived lack of effort.
Steve Wilks hails from the Charlotte area, so he knows how much this football team means to the community. He went to college at Appalachian State and was part of Carolina’s staff during the glory days in the mid-2010s, so he was hurting like most fans at the franchise’s plight when Rhule had almost absolute power.
As stated previously, the Panthers aren’t enjoying the best form on their travels right now, which is hindered their chances of a shock NFC South championship. However, things have taken a huge step forward at home, where Wilks is currently undefeated at 3-0.
Turning Bank of America Stadium into a fortress once again is a source of great pride. It’s just a shame that the Panthers have just two games left in familiar surroundings before the season concludes.
Winning your home games and picking up a win or two on the road is a recipe for success. Something that could mean a few more scalps for the Panthers before the time comes for Wilks to learn his fate.
Carolina Panthers have some pride back
Matt Rhule was never comfortable within the Carolina Panthers’ long-standing culture. His insistence to shove The Brand and The Process down everybody’s throats from the moment he got into the building was tiresome and held little weight given the football product.
For the Panthers to remove legendary figures to soothe Rhule’s ego initially was an early example of what came after. There was even one game when Carolina removed the Keep Pounding chant from their pre-game festivities, which drew the ire of fans and something they did a U-turn on quickly.
Steve Wilks knows what makes the Panthers tick. He was a supporter before anything else and his humble, determined demeanor is bringing pride back to the franchise as a result.
The interim appointment is quickly returning Carolina to the culture that made it so successful. Something that Rhule tried extremely hard to ruin before the plug was pulled on his tenure.
There aren’t many old faces left from the glory days. Shaq Thomson and J.J. Jansen are the only players remaining from the Panthers’ memorable run to the Super Bowl in 2015, but this shift is going down well within the locker room.
Playing hard, physical football is the hallmark of every great Panthers team throughout history. This current group is a long way off the heights reached before, but the attitude is changing dramatically under Wilks.
Carolina Panthers have gotten back to basics
Not many anticipated the Carolina Panthers becoming anything more than bottom-feeders with a leading chance for the No. 1 overall selection when Steve Wilks replaced Matt Rhule. It’s not perfect, but the growth displayed indicates more could be on the way long-term if David Tepper is convinced by what’s transpired following the landmark change.
Wilks has gotten back to basics. This all starts by winning in the trenches and building an offense around a physical running game led by the outstanding D’Onta Foreman.
Of course, there are some serious questions to answer at quarterback. Not exactly uncommon over the last three years thanks to a series of failed personnel moves after Rhule went back on his initial word and released Cam Newton in 2020.
Despite these obvious limitations, Wilks is getting a tune out of his players. This bears more significance on defense, with Al Holcomb’s introduction as defensive coordinator bringing about improvements across the board.
The core is there for Carolina to build a potential contender. But what Tepper needs to figure out is if Wilks has enough in his locker to sustain these improvements from a permanent head coaching role.
Much will depend on how the Panthers get on over the next five games. The calls to go with Wilks are growing louder by the week, but Tepper’s opinion is the only one that matters and this is known to be unpredictable at best.