From Charlotte.com
This article says/confirms ormond's post that the Panthers plan to play starters into the 3rd qtr tonight.
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Wouldn't a win taste nice about now?
SCOTT FOWLER
They have lost by one point, and by two points, and by 32 points.
They have lost indoors and outdoors. In sickness and in health. In overtime and by halftime.
For 348 straight days and 17 straight games -- 15 regular-season contests and two exhibitions -- the Carolina Panthers have lost and lost and lost.
It's getting ridiculous.
It's time they won something.
Tonight is the perfect place to start.
The New England Patriots are the reigning Super Bowl champions, but they are vulnerable. Quarterback Tom Brady hasn't been near his top form. In 10 offensive series, Brady hasn't led the Patriots to a touchdown yet.
The Panthers plan to play their starters into the third quarter of this exhibition in Foxboro, Mass., so this will be the closest thing to a real game Carolina has had. And even though this is only the preseason, the Panthers need something to cling to. An upset against New England would provide the branch.
If not tonight, a win against Cleveland in one week would be acceptable.
What the Panthers must avoid, though, is an 0-4 exhibition season.
The Panthers have been a slapstick comedy and a stinging drama for the past year. But for all their tangled plot devices, they keep skipping the most obvious -- a happy ending. They are so out of touch with the concept of winning, they actually practiced having Chris Weinke take a knee this week.
The world has changed dramatically since Carolina won its last game -- Sept. 9, 2001, against Minnesota.
Wars have begun. Babies have been conceived, born and learned to smile at their parents.
Expectations for the Panthers -- at least outside of the team's locker room -- remain terribly low.
The first two exhibition losses have caused a desperate sort of happiness among the team's faithful.
Sure, they lost, but: Doesn't DeShaun Foster look great? Doesn't Weinke look accurate? Doesn't Dan Morgan look like he could outrun most wide receivers?
Yes, yes and yes. But the Panthers remain 0-2 in exhibitions, having lost both in the fourth quarter as usual.
Certainly, Carolina was playing its backups then. But so was the other team.
The only obvious mistake John Fox has made as Panthers coach came when he inserted fourth-string quarterback Mike Watkins deep in the final period against Washington on Aug. 10 with the score tied at 30.
Fox said he didn't think about it much, that he simply played Watkins then because it was his turn in the rotation. Watkins, of course, quickly threw an interception returned for a touchdown. Washington won.
Fox should have stuck with third-stringer Randy Fasani, who was white-hot after leading four touchdown drives. The coach should have given the Panthers a better chance to win, because Panthers fans need a win right now like their lawns need water.
One win. One little, lousy preseason win. That's all.
It's not too much to ask.
Scott Fowler
