Source: David Jensen / Getty
Created by Sharon Thorsland
It’s an off week for the Panthers, who are enjoying their long-awaited bye. After watching film of the Rams game on Monday, Coach Dave Canales cut his players loose for the rest of the week. “I think it’s really important for everyone to just make sure they’re connecting with their family,” said Canales. “Making sure they’re unplugging for just a little bit to fill the tank up physically and mentally, and get ready for the finish that’s in front of us.”
That finish starts next Sunday with a division game against the Saints in New Orleans. The same Saints team that whipped the Panthers at home earlier this season. Then they return home for the first of two division match-ups with the Bucs wrapped around a date with another NFC opponent, the Seattle Seahawks. Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield has already made it known that he’s got it in for his former team, and no doubt Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold would also like a little revenge against the Panthers, who cut him loose after the 2022 season. While the Saints are floundering this season, the Bucs and Seahawks are both in the playoff hunt. The Bucs lead the NFC South at 7-5, while the Seahawks are atop the NFC West at 9-3 on the year. That means every game moving forward has playoff implications for the Panthers, who know what’s at stake. “We just got to take it one game at a time,” said Rico Dowdle. “Everything that we want is still out there in front of us. We have to go 1-0 each week.”
Several players are expected back after the bye, including cornerback Jaycee Horn and linebacker Claude Cherelus. And there is a possibility that guard Robert Hunt could return before the end of the season. Now the question is – which team will show up when the Panthers the field a week from Sunday in New Orleans? The one that beat the Rams and Packers, or the one that lost to the Bills and the 49ers? Consistency is key as the Panthers head down the stretch. Every game is a must-win at this point, especially in light of the schedule the Bucs have, with games against the Saints, Falcons, and Dolphins in addition to the two against the Panthers. So they’re treating every game like it’s a playoff game. “We’re going to keep fighting,” said defensive lineman Derrick Brown. “We got to be able to get guys back and get healthy, and get ready to go down – you know, we got a division left so that’s what we’ve got to do.