The Carolina Panthers are officially out of playoff contention after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers blew them out in Week 16. Despite the loss and another poor season, however, head coach Matt Rhule believes the team is trending in the right direction.
Carolina's latest defeat dropped them to 5-10 on the season, and they could very well end up with a similar record (5-11) they had in Rhule's first season in 2020. With the lack of progress record-wise, the 46-year-old tactician has been widely criticized and even booed during the game against the Buccaneers.
However, Rhule is staying optimistic despite the struggles. In fact, he even reference Jay-Z in his postgame presser on Sunday, highlighting that it takes time to build things and create something that works.
“I believe it's 1000 percent working, I just know no one can see it and I apologize. As I tell our team all the time, it took Jay-Z seven years. He had to start his own agency to become an overnight sensation. It takes time,” the Panther coach said, per Nick Carboni of WCNC Charlotte.
Sure enough, it might be too early to judge Matt Rhule and his tenure with the Panthers. After all, the team has been hobbled by injuries, particularly to Sam Darnold and star running back Christian McCaffrey. The team has been unable to find rhythm with all their struggles, and it will be unfair to blame everything on the head coach.
However, it is also true that Rhule's time is running out. The pressure is on him to deliver sooner rather than later, as the Panthers certainly can't wait for seven years before seeing any signs of competing.
Hopefully, though, the Panthers retool in the offseason and be able to stay healthy in 2022.
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