Sir Purr
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- Mar 16, 2019
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"I feel like we still need to work and get better fundamentally," Rhule said. "But we also want the guys to see, 'Hey, this is what it'll be like,' so (when) we get to next week, Raiders week, our guys aren't looking at us like, what do I do next?"
But all of those elements were worth adjusting for the conversations the Panthers had on Saturday.
"At the end of the day," Rhule said, "a social statement is way more important than the football part."
NEWS AND NOTES
— Rhule and Boston both expressed disappointment for fans, who will not be able to watch the Panthers and Raiders play in person in Week 1. But Rhule said he feels the team is prepared to play in an empty stadium.
"I think our guys, if they just turn it back to football, they'll always be OK," he said.
— With under a week before rosters must be reduced to 53 players, the coaches and front office must make critical evaluations over the next few days. Rhule said about five to seven players are fighting for the last few spots on the initial 53, and the focus of those players will likely be on special teams.
"We've got to be improved on special teams," Rhule said. "I think a big part of that is finding guys who are going to get better and better and better and play their best football in December."
— On the backup quarterback competition, Rhule said the backup could be different from week-to-week if both Will Grier and P.J. Walker are on the active roster. There will be a lot of work for the reserves over the next few days — including both Grier and Walker — to gather information for those evaluations.
— The Panthers have already started game-planning for the Raiders. Rhule said the focus is making sure Carolina's players are in the best position possible to succeed.
"What we don't want to do is be a game-plan oriented team that changes every week and doesn't play to our players' strengths," Rhule said. "We want to have a great plan for our players where they can go out and play fast."