The Carolina Panthers were not at the races during their preseason loss to the Buffalo Bills. It was an uninspired showing that raised more questions than it answered, setting a bad tone early and continuing throughout the contest.
And it did not go unnoticed by general manager Dan Morgan.
During the team's coverage of the warm-up game, Morgan was being interviewed. It was clear he was dissatisfied with the effort and overall execution being shown from everyone, from the first-string players to those on the fringes. It might only be the preseason, but this is the best time to set the correct standards for what's to come.
Dan Morgan expects improvements from Carolina Panthers in next preseason game
And Morgan will be watching the response extremely closely during Carolina's next preseason outing at the Jacksonville Jaguars on Friday night.
“The preseason games, it’s a game setting. You should be competing at the highest level. I think the games matter a lot, and hopefully, we perform better next week.”
Consider this a soft warning that could become much more if the same concerning slump continues.
Morgan is not afraid to make changes, especially at the bottom end of the roster. The Panthers run a developmental program under his leadership, but patience only lasts for so long. Unless the desired progress arrives, the former linebacker will find players who can produce when the stakes are highest.
There is no need to get carried away. The Panthers are still in the preseason, and they are without some key personnel due to injuries. Most of those absences are long-term, so the players tasked with increased responsibilities have to step up accordingly.
Nothing else will do.
Carolina Panthers have bigger expectations to meet, and complacency won't be tolerated
The Panthers have increased expectations to meet this season. They are the defending NFC South champions, and there is now a bullseye on their back that hasn't been visible for a decade. That brings a different type of pressure, and going from the hunter to the hunted can be complicated for a team more used to being the underdog.
Morgan has been on both sides of the spectrum — both as a player and during his time in front offices around the league. He is confident Carolina will take the next step, but complacency cannot become an issue.
The job is not done. And if the players don't realize that by now, they should.
Nobody likes losing. Preseason results don't really matter in the grand scheme of things, but the approach, intensity, and effort do. Morgan didn't like what he saw from the Panthers at Highmark Stadium, and he expects to see something very different in Jacksonville.
Morgan's comments reflected the performance. There is a higher bar for the Panthers to reach now. They have won back respect, returning to the postseason and pushing the Los Angeles Rams right to the wire before eventually falling short. But taking the next step is the most difficult of all.
And if Morgan doesn't see growth from his team over the next couple of weeks, he'll have some big decisions to make before Carolina's regular-season opener against the Chicago Bears.
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