The Panthers are 3-8-1, and yet the NFC South is so bad that Carolina remains in contention to win the division. Ron Rivera says that there’s no reason they should feel bad about that.
This year’s NFC South may look like one of the worst divisions in NFL history, but Rivera still believes the 5-7 Saints and 5-7 Falcons are good teams, as are Rivera’s own Panthers.
“I think New Orleans is a good football team, as I do Atlanta — and I think we’re still a good football team,” he said, via the Times-Picayune.
The Panthers sure haven’t looked like a good team recently: Carolina hasn’t won a game in two months. Still, the Panthers have a chance of making the playoffs, and Rivera says that if they do, they’ll be proud.
“Believe me, whichever team [from the NFC South] gets in the playoffs, there’s going to be no apologies for it,” Rivera said. “That’s all part of the game. You play the game, they fall the way they may. Look at the way New Orleans beat Pittsburgh — hey, there’s no apology needed. They played a very good football game against a good football team and they ended up winning.”
Someone will have to win the NFC South. Even if that “someone” is a team with a losing record.