Moribund Carolina Panthers must embrace 'Keep Pounding' mantra more than ever

Where do the Carolina Panthers go from here?

From a lack of any meaningful depth to continued underperformance from key contributors and a defense devoid of any kind of pass rush. There are too many problemsfor the Panthers to fix going forward from a team-building perspective in 2024.

However, one thing may just help get things turned back in the right direction.

Losing is never fun, especially when it is your job to win. This is evident in the faces, body language, and late-game brawling that has become a recent staple for the Panthers. Simply looking back a couple of weeks to when veteran quarterback Andy Dalton came in and led the team to an improbable victory in Week 3 proves this case.

The Panthers were happy back then and fun to watch. This team needs to find that again. The fans need to find that again. In the end, football is a game and it is meant to be enjoyed.

This season is done. Anyone who tells you otherwise is selling a pipe dream. So what can the Panthers hope to salvage?

Carolina Panthers must put culture above all else after disastrous start in 2024

Culture.

Think back to the 2015 Super Bowl run, what made it special? The energy that the team carried, the fun and excitement that was on their faces. And yes, winning all but one regular season game will do that, but the point still stands. It was fun to watch unfold even if you weren't a Panthers fan.

This proves one important thing. Energy is infectious.

When you look at this team currently, hanging their heads and getting into scraps on the field in blowout losses, that energy feeds on itself. It is a self-defeating cycle that will only drag the Panthers deeper into the abyss.

An unhappy locker room is one ripe for fracture and the Panthers are teetering on a knife edge. Something has to change.

This team needs to look itself in the mirror and realize that it is not going to compete this season. Internalize that belief. Then go out and just play the game to play it. Magical things happen when you let go of stress.

Cut out the noise from outside and just have fun with it again. Try to make a name for yourself with a chance that may not come again with how banged up this team is right now. Let that positive energy feed on itself and turn this culture into a place that players want to be.

Keep Pounding is the Panthers' battle cry for good reason. Where did that mindset go?

For too long the Panthers have been the laughingstock of the NFL. That has become their identity and fueled what has become a fairly toxic situation in Carolina. From ownership down. Head coach Dave Canales has to change the feeling of that locker room before it becomes irreparable. The only thing that will get a free agent to sign here is a good culture.

It won't be championship pedigree, exposure, or even playing time. Culture is what will win a player over for this organization. But only if it can be fixed.

Attitude is much more vital than anyone will give it credit for. Trying to regain that positive attitude is the best the Panthers can hope for out of this season. It won't be easy, there will be rough times. However, the important part is how you get back up after the hard times.

And the Panthers need to do just that.

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