ERST LESEN! » The Panthers’ head coach doesn’t have to m

ake big changes to keep his job Stitched Curtis Samuel Jersey , but that doesn’t mean they will be easy ones."This column began as a weekly spotlight on the worst tendencies and decision-making habits of the Carolina Panthers coaching staff. The intention wasn’t to publish a weekly list of reasons why Ron Rivera should be fired. It was to provide constructive criticism. Not for Rivera —I have no idea if anybody inside Bank of America Stadium reads this column— but for fans who wanted to know why Panthers games were always closer than they needed to be.Sometimes, we’ve looked at situations where the staff has bucked the influence of their out-dated angels. The rest of these columns have focused on situations where the Panthers made bad choices while possessing the ball. Yesterday, Ron Rivera decided to shake up the staff that spends the least amount of time with the football. That may come across as scapegoating from the perspective of this writing, but it isn’t. The defense was also a problem this year. No amount of offensive coaching changes are going to change how Rivera makes decisions in the red zone or on critical downs with short distances to gain. The opportunity for scapegoats left long ago, now is the time for shuffling coaches on the deck of the R.M.S. Riverboat. It is what it is.There isn’t much left to say. We know that the Panthers are hampered by certain personnel deficiencies along both lines that accentuate Rivera’s most antiquated flaws. He wants to rely on his frequently struggling defense and is given the opportunity often by an offense that is magnetically attracted to coming up just short on third down. He actively prefers close games, decided by a touchdown or less, where his record is dead even through eight years. A perfect 29-29-1.With only four games left in 2018 for the Panthers, Rivera has to believe that a winning streak can save his job. Pulling that off will require a style of coaching that he clearly disdains. The Panthers have spent all season —and, really, all of Rivera’s tenure in Carolina— on the verge of success. He has built good teams and has convinced his players to buy in year after year. They Youth Christian McCaffrey Jersey , like many teams, commit a number of errors every game. Losses take on the story of an avalanche of misfortune. Wins are often about overcoming adversity and “finding a way to win.” Part of that balancing act of mistakes and missed opportunities are self-inflicted wounds. They are based in what looks like a desire to resurrect the 1985 Bears in the era of the 2018 Chiefs.That balance keeps the Panthers teetering back and forth between winning and losing seasons. A year where everything clicks into place looks like 2015. A year that sees a few more unlucky bounces looks like 2018, or 2011, or 2012, or 2014, or 2016. If Rivera would take his good teams and push them instead of trying to protect them then he could be a successful coach in the NFL. He could tip the balance that he created. He could lead the Panthers to future seasons of relevance. To do so his team needs to make a commitment to scoring points instead of possessing the football, to defending the pass instead of rallying to the catch.Rivera’s stories could be about beating most teams with confidence instead of a last second field goal. Fans could be excited about big games instead of, at best, nervous. I don’t think any of this is likely to happen, but I would be happy if it did. The old Riverboat has been good for this franchise. I don’t enjoy writing about negatives of his time here. I don’t want to keep writing about narrow losses to teams that are not better than the Panthers. I would like to write about an eight year veteran Stitched Christian McCaffrey Jersey , in danger of being left behind, acknowledging his own flaws and growing as a head coach at the highest level of football. The Panthers are beginning to feel like they have hit on something big with fourth-round draft pick Ian Thomas.The rookie tight end has carried over an outstanding performance in training camp to the preseason, where he showed an impressive burst of speed on a 27-yard catch-and-run touchdown reception from Cam Newton, and delivered a powerful seal block that helped spring Christian McCaffrey for a 71-yard touchdown in Friday night's preseason win over the Miami Dolphins.And, he's still just learning."He doesn't even know how good he's capable of being," Newton said of the 6-foot-4, 260-pound Thomas.The Panthers didn't know exactly what they were getting with Thomas when they drafted him 101st overall because he hadn't seen all that much action as a receiver at Indiana. He spent two seasons with the Hoosiers and caught 28 passes, 25 of those as a senior. He spent his first two seasons at Nassau Community College.But Carolina's scouts became convinced Thomas has what it takes to be a playmaker, and general manager Marty Hurney was sold on him as he studied more film."He's kind of a little bit of an unknown because he only really played one year of major college football," Panthers coach Ron Rivera said. "We are fortunate that our college scouts pointed him out as somebody they thought could help us."Newton said Thomas' size and versatility as a receiver and a blocker will make him a "key asset" this season on offense.Thomas is making a strong case for being Carolina's No. 2 tight end behind three-time Pro Bowl selection Greg Olsen. The Panthers lost Ed Dickson to free agency and Chris Manhertz hasn't practiced since the start of training camp due to a leg injury.Rivera said Thomas' growth has been noticeably accelerated because of the increased reps he's received with Manhertz out."I think as a young man Youth Marquis Haynes Jersey , he could come in and be a very good second or third behind Greg," Rivera said. "When Chris gets back, we'll have a good combination of tight ends."Playing alongside Olsen, an 11-year veteran, doesn't hurt either."I think just walking in (to the NFL) he could not have been in a better situation," Newton said. "I kind of just glance over in practice from time to time and see Greg taking him up under his wing, showing him how to practice, how to finish, how to run certain routes. He couldn't have been in a better situation, learning from him every day."All of that is good news for Thomas Stitched Marquis Haynes Jersey , who endured plenty of heartache as a child.When he turned 8, he lost his mother Martha to kidney failure. The next year his father Earl died of a heart attack, leaving the children's future up in the air. That's when his then-19-year-old brother Clif Farmer stepped up to gain custody of him. Farmer raised his younger brother from that point forward."I want to make them happy and proud," Thomas said, adding his goal is simply to get better and keep proving himself.Teammates are noticing.Panthers middle linebacker Luke Kuechly said Thomas could be on his way to big things in Carolina."He does everything the right way," Kuechly said. "He blocks, he catches well and he runs well. I think he has picked things up really well."NOTES: Panthers starting left tackle Matt Kalil was scheduled to meet with a physician Monday after missing his second straight practice with knee soreness. Kalil has been battling issues since the middle of training camp. The team had no immediate word on the extent of that injury. The Panthers can ill afford to lose a third starter on the offensive line after right tackle Daryl Williams and left guard Amini Silatolu went down with injuries.