Rivera targets complacency
Super Bowl loser will try to buck trend
With his finger always on the pulse of his team, coach Ron Rivera understands the biggest issue that threatens the Carolina Panthers after their remarkable 2015 season.
He has examined why other Super Bowl-losing teams failed to accomplish similar success the next season. It’s no secret that it has been 23 years since a team returned to the Super Bowl after losing the previous one.
Complacency, Rivera says, can be lethal.
“The one thing I found was that people talked about (how) they didn’t want to be complacent,” he said. “They kind of let some things slip and slide. I’ve tried to take that away. I’ve tried to make sure we have a sense of urgency.”
Still, there are myriad reasons why the Panthers shouldn’t come close to achieving success similar to last season, when they stormed to a 15-1 record and dominated two NFC playoff opponents before stumbling against the Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl.
The Panthers surprised much of the football world by relinquishing the franchise tag on Josh Norman — one of the best cornerbacks in football — and watching him sign with the Washington Redskins.
They are unlikely to sneak up on anyone in 2016, especially in the NFC South, which includes the emerging Tampa Bay Buccaneers and talented Atlanta Falcons. And they have a challenging schedule that includes three road games on the West Coast and a season-opening date in Denver.
Quarterback Cam Newton received 48 of 50 MVP votes last season. But it will be difficult to repeat: Only four players have done that.
Granted, there are encouraging signs. Newton, for instance, has kept his focus on improvement.
“I haven’t peaked,” he said. “I haven’t climaxed as a player.”
And the run-first offense, which led the league in total points, will be upgraded when it welcomes back wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin, who was sidelined last season after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in training camp.
“Benji is coming back with a vengeance, and I mean that,” Newton said.
Despite what history has shown Rivera, there’s plenty of motivation.
“The ultimate goal is to win it, not just to get there but to win it, and we didn’t accomplish that,” Rivera said. “I think that’s what’s going to drive us.”
QUARTERBACK
How can Newton improve on his MVP season?
He led the NFL by accounting for 45 touchdowns, becoming the first player with at least 30 passing touchdowns (35) and 10 rushing touchdowns in the same season.
What’s more, from Week 8 through the NFC Championship Game, Newton accounted for 37 touchdowns with four interceptions. He had a career-high 132 carries in 2015, and keeping him healthy is imperative.
He still could improve in some areas, most notably in accuracy. He completed 59.8% of his passes last season.
RUNNING BACK
In an age of pass-happy offenses, the Panthers remain a run-first unit. They rushed for at least 100 yards in every game last year.
After rushing a career-high 242 times, Jonathan Stewart amassed 989 rushing yards, which ranked eighth in the league. He accomplished that despite missing the last three games of the regular season because of injury. He also had seven total touchdowns, his most since 2009.
Fozzy Whittaker and Cameron Artis-Payne are capable options as well. Mike Tolbert is one of the game’s best fullbacks.
WIDE RECEIVER
The wide receiving corps will get a noticeable jolt with the return of Benjamin. At 6-5, 245 pounds, he should be a dangerous weapon, especially in the red zone.
“I’m going full speed on it,” Benjamin said of his knee.
Devin Funchess, a 2015 secondround pick from Michigan, should continue to progress in his second season. Philly Brown also is capable of making an impact.
Ted Ginn Jr., who had a careerhigh 10 touchdown catches, can make the deep catch on occasion. But he’s also capable of dropping important passes.
TIGHT END
Greg Olsen, arguably the league’s second-best tight end behind the New England Patriots’ Rob Gron-