Panthers want fans to hold on. . .but to what?

The Carolina Panthers are 2-7. Not the team that boasted they'd win the Super Bowl in July. The guy who took out the ad in The Charlotte Observer is on IR now.

And after Sunday's loss--36-14--the Panthers want fans to "hold on" like Sam and Dave?

Defensive tackle Frank Kearse said the Panthers are going to work to put things back on track and get better.

“We need to work better as a team and close these games out,” he said.

Tight end Greg Olsen called the loss frustrating.

“You got to play well and hope the chips fall where they may,” he said. “We didn’t give ourselves a chance.”

The Panthers also don’t have a chance at a postseason, despite high hopes at the beginning of training camp.

Newton said the offense has to get better and he needs to get the ball out faster to help move things along. He stopped short of complaining about the pounding he took Sunday because of the lack of protection.

“That’s the same offensive line that has done great things. It’s more frustrating to lose a football game than to have days like that,” he said. “So, I’m not thrashing them and I don’t expect nobody to thrash them because those guys are capable of doing thing.”

Rivera said the Panthers are going to keep fighting and expect to win every time they show up. Kearse echoed his coach’s sentiment, but when asked when improvements will become visible, he said, “As soon as possible.”

As for the postseason, it’s too late.

But even the most loyal Carolina fans are struggling to remain faithful.

Other than CatMan, Jamaal Darby is probably the biggest Carolina Panthers fan in Charlotte.

He carries a Carolina Panthers debit card and in September, he gave up a chance to see President Barack Obama speak because he traveled to Tampa for the Panthers’ season opener against the Tampa Bay Bucs – a game they lost. 

But Darby still had faith. 

Following the New Orleans win, he was excited. Filled his Twitter feed with smack talk and cheering for the Panthers.

These days, his Twitter picture is a photo of a fan with a paper bag over his head. So when he was told that the Panthers want fans to hold on for an improved team, Darby wasn’t excited.

“I don’t know how I feel about this team right now,” he said. “I’m thoroughly disappointed right now. I’m angered. The expectations were the playoffs or at least eight wins this year.”

With the Panthers sitting at 2-7 and conference play about to heat up, the Super Bowl promise made by center Ryan Kalil –who is out with an injury – are empty promises.

“As far as the getting better, they don’t have a lot of flexibility to do that and this very scary,” he said. “For me being a fan, who else would I root for? I’m stuck with this team. It’s like a marriage. It’s like being married to a fat chick, you can’t leave her because she got fat. You’re just stuck with her.”