If anything became apparent on Sunday, it’s that these Carolina Panthers have a long way to go if they’re going to get back to playing on the game’s biggest stage.
In two weeks the Kansas City Chiefs and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will battle for the Lombardi trophy. Both conference champions are far better suited to compete in the modern NFL than Carolina. That means coach Matt Rhule and general manager Scott Fitterer would do well to copy some of the things that have made them successful.
Here’s a nine-point plan to get the Panthers back to the Super Bowl.