Every game must be treated the same in the NFL. Anything less comes with grave consequences, as the Carolina Panthers found out to their cost in Week 10 against the New Orleans Saints.
The Panthers were favored to win, and they were abysmal en route to a disappointing defeat. And almost immediately after, the finger-pointing began.
Murmurings around the locker room about specific individuals getting ahead of themselves were rife. Ikem Ekwonu noted that standards had slipped in practices, prompting established figures and head coach Dave Canales to warn of what could happen if standards slip.