BillyCarpenter1

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CHARLOTTE — Now that the Carolina Panthers have come crashing back to earth, the big question is where do they go from here?

A year ago, the Panthers followed up their first loss with seven more in a row and plummeted to 3-8 following a perfect 3-0 start.

This year’s team, of course, is more mature and will this week face the New Orleans Saints, a team they beat 19-13 just three weeks ago at Ericsson Stadium.

“I mean, it’s one loss,� Panthers head coach John Fox said on Monday while trying to put Sunday’s 37-17 loss to the Tennessee Titans in perspective. “It is what it is. Last year we strung seven behind that first one. All things are possible in this league, but then again, we may come back and play very well. A lot of that will be based on what our makeup is and how we rebound and start adjusting for New Orleans.�

The good news for Carolina is Tampa Bay (3-3) also lost on Sunday and the Panthers were able to maintain their two-game lead in the NFC South. New Orleans is 3-4, while Atlanta is stuck at 1-6.

Panthers safety Mike Minter said he believes this team will put Sunday’s loss behind them and bounce back with a strong effort against the Saints, a team they can just about bury with another victory. A victory over New Orleans would give the Panthers what is essentially a 3 1/2-game lead over the Saints, considering they’d have won both head-to-head games.

“We’re a better football team than last year,� Minter said. “We’re smarter and tougher and more mature than last year. So this one loss is not going to sink this football team. We’re going to come back and work hard and go down to New Orleans and get ready to win one.�

Fox said the key for the Panthers is to learn from their mistakes and, just like a victory, let the game go and return to work on Wednesday with a new sense of urgency.

“As with most high-character teams, nobody ever enjoys losing,� Fox said. “It doesn’t bode well with anybody in that room. How you respond to adversity as well as prosperity usually defines what kind of season you’re going to have. We’ll see how we do this week.�

One of the keys for the Panthers is not to fall behind to a high-powered Saints (3-4) team that is coming off two straight wins, including a 45-17 drubbing of the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.

Carolina fell behind 17-0 in the first quarter and then watched as the Titans extended that lead to 27-3 at the break.

Fox said “no team is built to come back from 27-3.�

In particular, his team.

Carolina’s strength is its running game and Fox knows a steady diet of Stephen Davis and DeShaun Foster represents the Panthers’ best chances of winning.

“The score dictated what we did in the second half,� Fox said.

“We know we’ve won five games doing it this way and we know that if we can win five out six running this style of offense and playing this type of defense, I will take that any day,� Panthers guard Kevin Donnalley said. “I think a lot of teams would.�

For the first time since last December, players were forced to practice and meet with coaches the day after a game to go over game film. When the Panthers win, Fox gives them the day off from practice and allows players to watch film on their own instead of with the coaches.

The Panthers had won seven straight regular season games and 11 straight including the preseason prior to Sunday’s defeat.

“That’s just the way we do things,� Fox said.