‘Have some pride as a man’: Panthers’ McCoy says there is still something to play for
The Carolina Panthers are 5-8. They have lost five games in a row. They are out – way, way out – of the playoff race. Their head coach got fired with a month to go in the season. One of their starting cornerbacks ripped the defensive play-calling in last week’s loss.
So what is left to play for Sunday when they host Seattle?
“You guys are going to write what you’re going to write,” Panthers defensive tackle Gerald McCoy said a few days ago. “Can’t control that. The fans are going to say what they want to say. Can’t control that. What we can control is how we keep fighting. You can give up, tuck your tail and say, ‘You know what? We’re getting ready for next season.’ Or you can have some pride as a man, give it everything you got and see what happens.”
In that interview, McCoy became the latest Panthers player to apologize to Carolina’s fans for the team’s poor performance. But then he offered what he called a “PSA” – a public service announcement.
“No fan is more disappointed than the people playing the game,” McCoy said. “So any negativity coming our way, I guarantee that you don’t feel as bad as we feel.”
▪ Quarterback Kyle Allen said this week it “feels like forever” since the Panthers won a game. Actually, it was Nov. 3, when Carolina beat Tennessee at home, 30-20.
But Seattle, while 10-3, showed some weaknesses in their most recent loss to the L.A. Rams. The Rams gashed the Seahawks for 455 yards – 293 passing, 162 rushing – in their 28-12 win over Seattle Monday night. Carolina will probably need at least 400 yards itself – and zero turnovers – to pull off an upset. That’s because you know that Russell Wilson is going to play well for the Seahawks – the former N.C. State quarterback always does in Charlotte, and he’s beaten far better Carolina defenses than this one.
▪ Christian McCaffrey needs 274 yards in the final three games to become only the third member of the “1,000-1,000” club, joining Marshall Faulk and Roger Craig. McCaffrey already has 1,220 yards rushing and has 726 yards receiving.
▪ Prediction time. I moved to 9-4 forecasting Carolina games last week by choosing them to lose at Atlanta. The way the Panthers are playing these days, it’s going to be difficult to pick them to win another one in 2019. My prediction: Seattle 34, Carolina 22.
