CHARLOTTE — Carolina Panthers coach John Fox arrived at his Monday press conference with a small cut on his forehead, the result of his battle with a shower head after Sunday’s 24-20 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
“It was one of those days,” Fox said.
Sunday’s mistake-filled setback at Texas Stadium cost the Panthers an opportunity to distance themselves from the rest of the NFC, but they still remain in solid shape for the playoffs.
If the playoffs started today Carolina (8-3) would be the top seed among the NFC division winners because of a better conference record (6-1) than Dallas (8-3) and St. Louis (8-3).
The only tiebreaker Carolina would lose would be the head-to-head matchup with Dallas should those teams finish alone with the NFC’s top record.
But a lot could change in the next five weeks, beginning with Sunday’s game between the Panthers and Philadelphia Eagles (8-3) at Ericsson Stadium.
The Eagles are the hottest team in the NFC, having won eight of nine games and six in a row since an 0-2 start. Their only setback during that stretch came at Dallas, which is why they are second in the NFC East despite having the same record as the Cowboys.
Philadelphia controls its destiny more than any of the 8-3 teams, facing Carolina and Dallas in the next two weeks.
The Eagles also have the toughest road. Their remaining opponents have a combined record of 32-23.
Carolina has the easiest road. Their remaining opponents are 20-34, with only the Eagles having a winning record.
“Really, I’m more concerned where we are in our division,” Fox said.
The Panthers have a three-game lead in the NFC South and own all the tie-breakers, meaning they’d have to lose four of their final five games and New Orleans or Tampa Bay would have to win all of their remaining games to pass them.
Fox’s biggest challenge will be keeping a group of players with little playoff experience focused for a playoff run.
“I think they understand one game at a time, and at the end of the race you either make it or don’t,” Fox said. “Our focus is on Philadelphia. Experience helps and some guys have experience with it on other teams.
“But as far as our team here we haven’t experienced it in quite some time. I don’t know if that works against us or for us.”
Only wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad and kicker John Kasay were with the Panthers the last time (1996) they made the playoffs. But several players, such as center Jeff Mitchell (Baltimore) and wide receiver Ricky Proehl (Rams), have won Super Bowls.
And Fox has been to the playoffs numerous times as an assistant with the Giants, Steelers and Raiders.
“I’ve spent 14 years in the NFL and my experience has been you get one game at a time,” he said. “If you start looking too far ahead you get in trouble.
“That is how we’re going to keep approaching it until the season is over.”
Reach Newton at (803) 802-2091 or sportsscribe@aol.com
A look at the remaining record of the opponents for the seven teams in top contention for NFC playoff spots.
Rec. Opp. NFC*Carolina 8-3 20-34 (.370) 6-1
*St. Louis 8-3 27-28 (.490) 6-3
*Dallas 8-3 28-26 (.520) 6-2
8-3 32-23 (.590) 6-2 7-4 27-28 (.490) 6-2*Minnesota 7-4 32-23 (.590) 6-2
Bay 6-5 19-36 (.350) 6-4* Division leaders
Note: Does not include the outcome of Monday night’s game involving the Giants, who still
face Carolina and Dallas.
http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/sports/7346132.htm
“It was one of those days,” Fox said.
Sunday’s mistake-filled setback at Texas Stadium cost the Panthers an opportunity to distance themselves from the rest of the NFC, but they still remain in solid shape for the playoffs.
If the playoffs started today Carolina (8-3) would be the top seed among the NFC division winners because of a better conference record (6-1) than Dallas (8-3) and St. Louis (8-3).
The only tiebreaker Carolina would lose would be the head-to-head matchup with Dallas should those teams finish alone with the NFC’s top record.
But a lot could change in the next five weeks, beginning with Sunday’s game between the Panthers and Philadelphia Eagles (8-3) at Ericsson Stadium.
The Eagles are the hottest team in the NFC, having won eight of nine games and six in a row since an 0-2 start. Their only setback during that stretch came at Dallas, which is why they are second in the NFC East despite having the same record as the Cowboys.
Philadelphia controls its destiny more than any of the 8-3 teams, facing Carolina and Dallas in the next two weeks.
The Eagles also have the toughest road. Their remaining opponents have a combined record of 32-23.
Carolina has the easiest road. Their remaining opponents are 20-34, with only the Eagles having a winning record.
“Really, I’m more concerned where we are in our division,” Fox said.
The Panthers have a three-game lead in the NFC South and own all the tie-breakers, meaning they’d have to lose four of their final five games and New Orleans or Tampa Bay would have to win all of their remaining games to pass them.
Fox’s biggest challenge will be keeping a group of players with little playoff experience focused for a playoff run.
“I think they understand one game at a time, and at the end of the race you either make it or don’t,” Fox said. “Our focus is on Philadelphia. Experience helps and some guys have experience with it on other teams.
“But as far as our team here we haven’t experienced it in quite some time. I don’t know if that works against us or for us.”
Only wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad and kicker John Kasay were with the Panthers the last time (1996) they made the playoffs. But several players, such as center Jeff Mitchell (Baltimore) and wide receiver Ricky Proehl (Rams), have won Super Bowls.
And Fox has been to the playoffs numerous times as an assistant with the Giants, Steelers and Raiders.
“I’ve spent 14 years in the NFL and my experience has been you get one game at a time,” he said. “If you start looking too far ahead you get in trouble.
“That is how we’re going to keep approaching it until the season is over.”
Reach Newton at (803) 802-2091 or sportsscribe@aol.com
A look at the remaining record of the opponents for the seven teams in top contention for NFC playoff spots.
Rec. Opp. NFC*Carolina 8-3 20-34 (.370) 6-1
*St. Louis 8-3 27-28 (.490) 6-3
*Dallas 8-3 28-26 (.520) 6-2
8-3 32-23 (.590) 6-2 7-4 27-28 (.490) 6-2*Minnesota 7-4 32-23 (.590) 6-2
Bay 6-5 19-36 (.350) 6-4* Division leaders
Note: Does not include the outcome of Monday night’s game involving the Giants, who still
face Carolina and Dallas.
http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/sports/7346132.htm
