Black and Blue Review
As the Panthers’ season continues spiraling downward, coach Ron Rivera continues to hold the line. His team has not won in nearly two months, but on Monday, Rivera continued to preach patience.
“We’re not going to do anything knee-jerk. We’re going to go through the process,” Rivera said. “If a year ago it was good enough, and this year it’s not, then we’ve got to find out why and what happened. We believe we know why and what happened, now we’ve got to correct those, and we’re working to correct those things. It’s not like we don’t know what’s happening.”
Plenty has happened during the Panthers’ six-game losing streak. Few of those things have been good.
The funk started with a leaky defense. When those holes were somewhat plugged up, the offense went M.I.A. Then on Sunday, special teams joined in by giving up two blocked punt returns for touchdowns in the first half against the Vikings.
Rivera said after the game, and he repeated on Monday, that both blocks were the result of personnel breakdowns and not coaching. He and special teams coordinator Richard Rodgers have been close since they played together at Cal, and when asked if that relationship is now strained, Rivera answered, “It puts a strain on my relationships with all my coaches when all their positions struggle.
“We’re talking about two plays in the game. I get that. You can say the same thing about what happens when you give up a sack. You can say the same thing that happens when you miss a tackle. The only problem is unfortunately it gets magnified.”
But special teams have not been good all season.
The Panthers are last in the league in yards allowed on both punts and kickoffs. Their return teams are 18th on kickoffs and 13th on punts. Kicker Graham Gano ranks 23rd with an 83.3 field goal percentage. Punter Brad Nortman is 29th with a 38.2 net average.
Whether it is on special teams, or on offense or defense, anything resembling a big change does not appear to be imminent. Some players may be switched out here and there, but for the most part, the Panthers will head into the final quarter of the season with the same structure they were built with coming into the year.
“I’m not going to get up and talk about the negativity,” Rivera said. “I do agree with [quarterback] Cam [Newton]. I think the answer’s in the locker room. I think it’s in the classrooms, and I think it’s in the coaching staff.
“You don’t give up on something just because something negative happens. If we did, we’d be a nation of quitters. I ain’t quitting on us, guys.”