Panthers banking on happy returns
With everyone back and healthy for 2005, the Panthers are hoping they can return to their winning ways.
The Panthers love to talk about consistency. It is the most treasured word in coach John Fox and general manager Marty Hurney's philosophy. But for two of the three years in the Fox/Hurney tenure, the Panthers have only been consistently mediocre. In 2002 and 2004, the Panthers went 7-9, missing the playoffs. Only in the middle of those three seasons did Carolina reach great heights, making an unlikely run to the Super Bowl before losing a thriller to New England.
Last year was injury-plagued. At one point, Carolina was down to its sixth-string tailback and four of its difference-makers -- WR Steve Smith, DRT Kris Jenkins and RBs DeShaun Foster and Stephen Davis -- hardly played at all because of serious injuries.
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