7. Can Ron Rivera cool off his increasingly hot seat?

The big story following Carolina’s failure on Sunday was owner David Tepper holding court with some local media. Tepper said that he will not accept long-term mediocrity. Unfortunately, that seems to be the defining dynamic for a franchise that has yet to post two winning seasons in a row. Teppper already has plenty of reasons to move on from Rivera after 2019. If he doesn’t close out the season strong, his position will be in serious jeopardy. Winning against the Saints would at least give Rivera some breathing room.

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