The Carolina Panthers just won?t stay down.
Over the years, head coach John Fox?s team has been the perpetual punching bag early in the season. Often bruised and bloodied, the Panthers seem to always get up at the nine count and come back swinging.
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More often than not, they?re the one offering the knockout blow come playoff time. In Fox?s first four seasons, the Panthers have been to two NFC title games and one Super Bowl.
The Panthers, winners of their last three games, will roll into M&T Bank Stadium Sunday to face the Ravens at 3-2. The Panthers started the season 0-2 after many in the preseason had predicted another run deep into the playoffs.
“Every year, you?ve got to be fortunate,” Fox said. “To start the season, we were about as unfortunate as you could get. We went into our opener without [Pro Bowl receiver] Steve Smith, who is an integral part of our offense, and we lost our starting left tackle [Travelle Wharton] with a season-ending injury early in the game.”
Smith was coming off a jaw-dropping 2005 season, in which he led the NFL with 1,563 yards, 103 receptions and 12 touchdowns. It is no coincidence that since Smith returned, the Panthers have started winning. Smith has 23 catches for 261 yards.
Meanwhile, linebacker Dan Morgan was officially declared out for the season this week, after suffering a concussion in the team?s opening loss to Atlanta.
“We weren?t as good as we thought we would be at the time,” defensive end Julius Peppers said this week.
Fox was diplomatic about his team?s string of misfortune.
“We just didn?t get off to a real smooth start, as far as the injury bug,” Fox said. “It just takes you awhile to get used to that.”
Throughout his short head-coaching career, Fox has seen his share of adversity. After five years as the New York Giants? defensive coordinator, he took over a Panthers team that had finished 1-15 in 2001. Inhis first season, he guided the Panthers to a 7-9 record.
Peppers, a Pro Bowler, came into the league during the defensive-minded Fox?s first season and had 12 sacks.
“He already had credibility, but being a defensive coach, I was that much more comfortable with him, knowing that he knew what he was doing,” Peppers said.
The next season, the Panthers claimed the NFC South with an 11-5 regular-season record, before reeling off three straight wins in the playoffs, only to lose, 32-29, in dramatic fashion to New England in Super Bowl XXXVIII.
In 2004, the Panthers shook off a 1-7 start to win six of their last eight games.
Peppers said the current team is ready to improve.
“Obviously, we?re not where we want to be or where we thought we would be at this time, so nobody?s going to save you or come rescue you,” Peppers said.
