Carolina Panthers defensive end Charles Johnson didn’t talk to the media after Sunday’s loss to Tampa Bay, but he took his displeasure with the team’s defense to Twitter.

On Monday, head coach Ron Rivera said his highest-paid defender had every right to be critical of the defense in 140 characters or less. But he wishes it would have stayed in the locker room.

“I have no problem with that” Rivera said. “He's a captain. If he sees something he finds disturbing, it should most certainly be pointed out.

“I think what he's done is he's stepped out. He said, guys, everybody has got to have the right kind of attitude. I appreciate that 100 percent. I wish he had done it ... behind closed doors, but he didn't. It's out there. I'm going to support that.”

Johnson’s tweet, which came less than an hour after the Panthers lost 27-21 in overtime to Tampa Bay after squandering an 11-point fourth-quarter lead, had been retweeted more than 200 times by Monday afternoon.

“Embarrassed to be apart of that last drive! Some people study and work harder than others and they get (exposed) in the game #saynomore,” the tweet from his account, @randywattson, read.

Johnson didn’t backtrack on Monday, but he did clarify that it wasn’t directed at any specific player(s) or coach(es).

“I'm not going to apologize or nothing for it,” Johnson said. “I didn't try to throw nobody under the bus or anything like that. It was just how I felt at the time.”

Johnson left the game in the second quarter when his head met fellow defensive end Greg Hardy’s knee as they converged on quarterback Josh Freeman. Johnson had to leave the sideline and get a concussion test before re-entering the game.

“They're very cautious about (the concussion test),” he said. “It was my first time every going through that, and you have to go through a lot of stuff to even get back on the field. I was kind of getting antsy just being back there. Not trying to be rude, but I was getting very anxious to get back on the field.”

DIVISION TITLE GONE: The Panthers cannot win the NFC South. With the Falcons at 9-1 and Carolina at 2-8, the Panthers have been mathematically eliminated.

The Panthers are the third team in the NFL knocked out of contention for a division’s title, joining Jacksonville and Cleveland.

“It is frustrating to not do what you set out to do every year,” Rivera said. “When you lose things aren't as good as when you win, obviously. Food doesn't taste right. It's tough to communicate with people. It's hard and I get it. In the same respect, we're a productivity-based business.”

TWO PLANS: Per his weekly routine, McDermott had not looked at film of the Philadelphia Eagles when he addressed the media Monday morning, but he said he may have to plan for two very different quarterbacks.

Philadelphia hosts the Panthers on Monday night with Michael Vick, the team’s usual starter at quarterback, still suffering symptoms from a concussion suffered in Week 10. Rookie Nick Foles replaced him, and in two games has completed 55 percent of his passes, with one touchdown and three interceptions. He has also fumbled three times.

MEDLOCK’S CONFIDENCE: After his kicker missed a 40-yard field goal Sunday for his third straight miss of the season, Rivera neither confirmed nor denied the team would be looking to try out other kickers.

Justin Medlock started the season 7-for-7, but he had one kick blocked against Washington and has missed one in each of the past two games.

“He missed a couple you think he should make,” Rivera said. “When I talked to him right after the miss I told him keep your head on and focused because you're probably going to have to hit another one at some point.

“He's pretty tough but we have to evaluate everything and look at everything closely and find out why.”