Fox tries to sell message team isn't out of playoff hunt

By Darin Gantt - daringantt@carolina.rr.com

CHARLOTTE -- The odds already were long and get longer by the day.

But Panthers coach John Fox said he is still sending a positive message to his players after Thursday's 24-17 loss to Miami.

It dropped them to 4-6 with six games to play and was the fourth time this season they have lost a game that would have gotten them to .500 with a win.

“It's not a hard message to sell,” Fox said. “I think guys understand it. We're guaranteed 4-12, and we have the possibility of 10-6. A week ago, it was one of those each way difference. At 0-3, nobody gave us chance. At whatever we were the next time, nobody gave us a chance. At whatever we had the opportunity to do last night, I'm sure outside of that (team meeting) room, there will be a lot people that don't give us a chance.

“Until the math says it, we'll feel like we have a chance.”

The math is getting close. The Panthers are two games back from the worst wild-card team at the moment and have one of the league's toughest schedules down the stretch. Once they get through the 4-5 N.Y. Jets and 1-8 Tampa Bay, they close with a trip to New England, a home game with Minnesota and another trip to New York to play the Giants before closing the season at home against New Orleans.

INJURY UPDATE — Fox mentioned linebackers Na'il Diggs (ribs) and Landon Johnson (knee) as additions to the injury report.

He said Diggs' injury was similar to the one that kept him out of the Dallas game earlier this year, but in a different area. He said Johnson's knee sprain “doesn't require surgery,” but wouldn't specify further.

Fox is hoping that giving the players this weekend off will get him closer to getting a few back, specifically fullback Brad Hoover, safety Charles Godfrey and defensive end Charles Johnson.

“I think with each day that goes by in day-to-day, they've got a better shot,” Fox said. “With a little extra time to rest and get in the training room, I'd say their odds improve.”

As for defensive end Julius Peppers, it seems his reintroduction to the run defense might be gradual. Fox said only that Peppers would “work through it.”

Peppers is essentially playing one-handed and not doing much of anything against the run. He had one tackle and a forced fumble Thursday and was dominated by Dolphins left tackle Jake Long most of the night. He committed a neutral-zone infraction when he lined up in an awkward stance from the left side, with his left hand down (opposite how he would normally take his stance).

SUTTON IMPRESSES — Fox said he was encouraged by the play of rookie running back Tyrell Sutton, who finished with two catches for 18 yards, and a 26.5-yard average on four punt returns (which makes him the king of that group this year).

In fact, Sutton was on the field in the late stages of the game instead of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart, where the team used his receiving and pass-blocking skills.

“He made a couple of very nice plays,” Fox said. “He's got some of those skills, and we do try to rotate players in the game, keep them fresh. But he's got that skill set, and I think it was evidenced by a couple of the plays he made.”

EXTRA POINTS — Panthers defensive end Tyler Brayton was fined $5,000 by the NFL for last week's low hit on Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan. It's the latest in a series, as defensive tackle Damione Lewis received a similar penalty last week. ...

Fox said he was encouraged by left guard Mackenzy Bernadeau's first NFL start (“He's not a well-oiled machine quite yet, but I think he'll get better”) but admitted young fullback Tony Fiammetta still is very much learning. Fiammetta enabled a sack when he ran into left tackle Travelle Wharton, allowing Dolphins linebacker Joey Porter what amounted to a free shot. “Tony's a young player, and it's a learning experience. He'll just get better for it,” Fox said.