Slow starts are nothing new for the Carolina Panthers under Ron Rivera. But the sixth-year coach hoped his team was past them.
The Panthers will drag a 1-3 record into Monday night’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, another 1-3 team that – like Carolina – is expected to be missing several key starters on both sides of the ball.
The difference? The Buccaneers were not picked to be much more than a potential wild-card team in coach Dirk Koetter’s first season, while many expected the Panthers to vie for another Super Bowl berth – Rivera included.