It is not exactly a mind-blowing statement to say that a 1-5 team might have a morale problem. In fact, such a statement seems obvious given the current circumstances. Of course the Carolina Panthers have morale issues right now. They have only won one game, and have fallen to a last second field goal hit or miss three different times. The offense doesn’t feel like it can score enough points to outrun the poor defense, and the defense doesn’t feel confident in its ability to stop a team when they need it or to keep a late game lead.

But what I wonder is this: Was this writing on the wall before the season even really got under way, or did it develop as the season progressed? Before we explore the pre-season issues in the next part (to be released early next week), let’s look at the in-season issues that certainly are affecting player mindsets.

The Super Bowl Loss Un-Avenged

We can debate all day whether Ron Rivera is right to say that it “isn’t fair” that the first team the Carolina Panthers had to face was the team they lost to in the Super Bowl. The reality is that a win in this game swings the spirits of this team much higher, and a loss, especially a loss that felt stacked against them, swings it to some really low lows. The result of missing a last second field goal for an opportunity to win, despite all the missed personal foul calls, makes it feel like the game was never really in the team’s hands.

I am of the belief that if you can really own something positive or negative, it makes a big difference. If you can look at a big win and say you earned it, or a bad loss and say that you had the ability to change it, you can rationalize it out. However, when it seems like something is happening that you can’t control, like a last second field goal sailing wide, or a referee crew that refuses to protect your quarterback, it is harder to process. Especially if the win or loss has “personal” written on it.

Did the Denver Broncos “break” the Carolina Panthers? No. They didn’t. But the team that played the Broncos that night should be capable of beating most anyone. That team didn’t stick around much longer, which brings us to...

Injuries

They don’t just take a toll on the player, they take a toll on entire units. There are times when an injury can galvanize a team, or inspire a position group, but those benefits are usually short lived and typically only show themselves when morale is already high. The Panthers have lost key players, and in large quantities, that have forced guys into roles they are not confident in, or not built to play.

The offensive line is always an example of this. Coaches and analysts talk about the cohesion necessary to produce a great offensive line... and that isn’t just coach speak. It’s not as simple as blocking the guy in front of you. You have to trust that the guys around you are going to do exactly what they should in a given scenario. Right now, neither offensive tackle is playing well, and while some of it has to do with a lack of talent, there is also an element of not knowing who to block. Remmers and Williams are reading the wrong keys, and when that happens the guards will start to compensate with a larger split sometimes leading to gaps that are prone to blitzing.

The defensive backfield... is an even larger mess. There doesn’t appear to be any trust between the corners and safeties, and why would there be? Too often this season, especially against Atlanta, teams have ripped off large gains and there has been no one backing up the corners, which as young corners, are going to be prone to mistakes now and then. That only gets worse when people that are NOT starters are forced into action because they are the only warm bodies left. Even more frustrating... the Panthers cut the only person resembling a position group leader for the CBs, Bene Benwikere, after his bad performance against the Falcons. Watching people lose their jobs around you is negative reinforcement, and will certainly affect your desire to play to the best of your ability.

The Feeling of Irrelevance

The feeling of “what is the point?” that propagates a losing team when the season gets out of hand. At this point, the Carolina Panthers are not factually eliminated from the playoffs, but their chances are so reduced that they might as well be. By losing to each division team and having five losses overall in six games, it will be a long and very hard road to recovery.

Beyond the playoff picture, there is the mistrust between units. The offense doesn’t trust the defense to defend any lead they build, and vice versa. There are two obvious crippling weaknesses that are likely to remain bad until the offseason. The offense is going to get crushed by a good pass rush, and the defense is going to fall to a team with a good passing game or protection.

Over the Bye Week...

We’ll talk about the factors present before the season that would have caused team morale to suffer, and how the team can move forward and improve the situation. Look for part 2 of this piece early next week. Until then, enjoy a weekend of emotionless professional football, focus on your fantasy teams, and remember...

...KEEP POUNDING.