Friday, January 3, 1997

Panthers have much to prove

By Melissa Isaacson / Chicago Tribune (Jan. 3, 1997)

(KRT)

The Carolina Panthers apparently are so eager to prove they are in the same league as the defending Super Bowl champion Dallas Cowboys that they had a little controversy involving two troublemakers this week.

Head coach Dom Capers suspended reserve defensive end Shawn King without pay for showing up late to team meetings repeatedly and former starting offensive tackle Blake Brockermeyer went public with his frustrations over not starting while he recovers from a broken thumb.

OK, so that's not exactly big-time stuff. And, yeah, maybe King's teammates agreed that while the punishment seemed harsh, he had it coming. But the Panthers are eager to show they can be like the Cowboys.

"All we've been doing since we came into the league is proving people wrong, proving that we belong," said linebacker Carlton Bailey. "We've done a good job of that. We just haven't done it in the playoffs yet."

Which, of course, will be the objective come Sunday, when Carolina meets Dallas at Ericsson Stadium.The Panthers are 8-0 at home this season but are still three-point underdogs against the Cowboys.

The Panthers are the only home underdog among the four NFL playoff games, but Capers said he had no problem with it.

"To me, it's understandable," Caper said. "We look at Dallas as the marquee team. They have won three out of the last four Super Bowls. Based on the way they played Saturday (in a 40-15 playoff-opening victory over Minnesota), there wouldn't be any reason to think they wouldn't be favored."

No reason except the Panthers have allowed just 13 second-half points at home this season, 10 in the fourth quarter. They finished second in the NFL in points allowed this season, at 13.6 per game, and led the league in sacks with 60. They have 12 players with Super Bowl experience.

And, oh yeah, they haven't lost since Nov. 3 in Atlanta. That's seven victories in a row.

After starting the season 5-4, Capers said the Panthers needed only minor adjustments.

"We had played some outstanding football but we hadn't been consistent enough," he said. "So we re-committed ourselves. We improved each week and we gained a little momentum."

The veteran experience at least should help ease any intimidation by the defending champs.

"Part of our plan was to acquire veteran players," said Capers, who was named Coach of the Year after the Panthers became the first second-year team to win a division title. "These days, with free agency, you see teams change so much from one year to the next, productivity has become the most important thing. Our plan was to acquire veterans on defense and that hopefully would enable us to be as competitive as we can be. . . . Now we'll try to draw from their experience."

Whether or not they can match up with Cowboys on the field remains to be seen. Off the field, Panthers fans apparently have no worries.

Wednesday and Thursday, while Dallas players and coaches were embroiled in controversy, the Panthers were rallying behind the recent decision of Capers to suspend King, a key member of Carolina's third-down defense.

"It's unfortunate one individual (chose) to not adhere to the team rules," said defensive end Gerald Williams, "but you have to suffer the consequences, like you do in life, when you don't abide by the rules."

As for their chances, the Panthers like the odds just fine.

"Lots of people haven't given us much of a chance for a while now," said defensive end Mike Fox, "and that hasn't stopped us yet. Now is no time to start."

(c) 1996, Chicago Tribune.

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