The Carolina Panthers were really against it entering their Week 7 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They had shipped off star running back Christian McCaffrey just two days earlier, were facing talks of a potential tank and were 13-point underdogs to the defending NFC South champions.
Steve Wilks, however, paid no attention to any of it—as he focused on the day at hand. His players followed suit and trounced the Buccaneers, 21-3, in a dominant and shocking show of force.
For his efforts, Wilks was deemed Pro Football Talk’s ‘Coach of the Week’ for this past Sunday’s stunner. A well-deserved honor for a well-respected coach with his back against a wall of fire, he put the league on notice that the Panthers aren’t quite finished just yet.
From 13-point underdog to 18-point win. pic.twitter.com/gySC7tSW33
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) October 26, 2022
If the smash-mouth running game, the brilliant defensive scheme and all-in mindset continues—Wilks may find himself winning quite a few more honors, and maybe even a new contract with the Panthers.
