Panthers have one more chance

CHARLOTTE— Doug Evans is looking forward to Week 16 in the NFL.

The Carolina Panther defensive back stood among the reporters after Sunday’s 30-7 debacle to the Arizona Cardinals and tried to figure out a best-case scenario.

The Panthers won their first game of the season, over highly touted Minnesota, lost 14 in a row, and now have one more chance to save face. Next week, another highly touted team, the New England Patriots, roll into town.

“If we put everything into the last game, we can establish something going into next year,” Evans mused. “Maybe people will remember the first and last game.”

Not hardly. Sunday’s lackadasical defeat, arguably the worst performance in Panthers history, showed the fans that there are serious issues with this team and the coach.

Fourteen straight losses in anything is embarrassing but when you’re wealthy millionaires, the people expect more. At least, show some effort, guys.

All the fans got Sunday was their team’s name in the record book, right there with five other teams, under the dubious record of losing the most consecutive games (14).

If Carolina falls to the Pats, they will have the mark all to themselves.

“At least, we set a record this year,” said Jeff Mitchell, tongue planted firmly in cheek. “It’s the wrong record, but hopefully, we’ll remember this.”

Surely the rest of the nation will, especially if they tune in to Jay Leno and the Tonight Show this evening.

Remember when Leno made jokes about the Lions being the worst team in football?

Everyone in the Panthers locker room tried to figure out this sudden demise of a franchise that made the playoffs just a few short years ago.

Everyone had to answer the George Seifert questions, even George himself.

“We’re obviously a losing football team,” he pointed out.

Thanks for that revelation, George.

“There’s wasn’t any consistent crispness,” Seifert told a throng of blood-thirsty reporters. “I obviously didn’t have the team ready to play.”

Seifert had his weekly meeting with owner Jerry Richardson but wouldn’t elaborate.

“I’ll visit with you about my football team,” he said, “but there are conversations that are private.”

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The players wouldn’t comment about Seifert either.

But they all know about the business end. And when a team looks as bad as the Panthers did Sunday, it usually comes down to the coach.

Most of the finger-pointing goes to the coordinators who call the plays.

Sunday, the Panthers needed to get down the field quickly and score, especially after falling behind 24-0.

So quarterback Chris Weinke throws short. And throws short again. And throws short again.

One thing’s for sure. When you need 10 yards on third down, there’s no quarterback in the NFL who can get you that 4-yard completion better than Weinke.

It almost appeared the Panthers were throwing soft toss, 3 and 4-yarders in the middle of the field, during the second half for the sole purpose of running time off the clock. Weinke completed 36 passes but averaged a pathetic 6.2 yards per completion.

Of course, Seifert was grilled about the selection of pass plays. He said he wanted to throw long early in the game, “but we threw that many out of necessity.”

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Now, one more week of futility awaits.

Or does it?

The Carolina Panthers are stocked with professional football players, all of whom have won and won big somewhere during their careers. And they can win next week. They just have to do it.

“Idon’t think you ever imagine this,” Mitchell said of the 1-14 season.

But he’ll strap it up next week and try his best.

Everyone will, assures receiver Patrick Jeffers.

“We’ve lost 14 in a row,” he said. “What else do you need to get motivated?”

“You’ve got to start somewhere,” Evans shrugged. “Why not next week?”

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Contact Ronnie Gallagher at 704-797-4287 or rgallagher@salisburypost.com .