After their painful Week 17 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Carolina Panthers no longer have anything to play for. But don’t tell that to Steve Wilks.
Carolina’s interim head coach took the podium following the 30-24 defeat on Sunday afternoon. And despite being officially knocked out of contention for an NFC South title (and, of course, a playoff spot), Wilks is ready for next week.
“The message to the team afterwards [was] we didn’t do what we wanted to do,” he said. “They made more plays than what we did today. So we gotta give those guys all the credit. We didn’t play according to our DNA, which is physicality and effort—which I thought, for the most part, you saw that. We didn’t play smart. Not at all.”
Carolina, who held an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter, allowed 20 points to the Tampa Bay in the final 14 minutes of the game. They also allowed season-high outputs from quarterback Tom Brady (432 passing yards) and wideout Mike Evans (207 receiving yards) while committing three turnovers.
Wilks’ statement to the team, however, wasn’t a solemn one.
“But the one thing I stated to those guys—the last element, that’s what we’re gonna do this week,” he added. “We’re gonna finish. That’s what men do. That’s what good football teams do regardless of the record, regardless of the circumstances.”
The record is now at 6-10, which clinches their fourth straight campaign with double-digit losses. And the circumstances have them playing the 7-9 New Orleans Saints next week, who have also been eliminated from contention with the Buccaneers claiming the division crown.
If you’re even the slightest bit familiar with how Wilks functions, though, those words aren’t the least bit surprising. No matter what lies ahead, it’s still about winning the day.
