Two weeks ago today, Panthers owner David Tepper said that interim coach Steve Wilks will becoming the permanent head coach if he does an “incredible job.”
Wilks did something pretty incredible on Sunday, beating the Buccaneers and Tom Brady by 18 points.
After the game, I asked Wilks what it means to do an “incredible job.” Make the playoffs? Finish above .500?
“I really don’t know,” Wilks said, “and to be quite honest with you, man, my makeup is not even looking beyond the next week. I tell the guys every day, ‘Let’s just go win today. Let’s just go win today,’ and when we do that, we’ll figure out what’s gonna happen at the end of the year.”
It’s a smart approach. Especially since the Panthers are only one game behind the Falcons and Buccaneers for first place in the NFC South.
The Panthers have games coming up against the Falcons, Bengals, and Falcons again, followed by games against the Ravens and Broncos. After the bye, the Panthers face the Seahawks, Steelers, Lions, Buccaneers, and Saints.
It’s not an easy road, but the rest of the division also faces the teams of the NFC West and AFC North. Maybe they’ll all continue to be packed together, at or even below .500 as Week 18 approaches.
One of those four teams will be winning the division and hosting a playoff game. If it’s the Panthers, it would be difficult for Tepper to use any word other than “incredible” to explain it.
