Why Ron Rivera Isn’t the Man to Lead Carolina Panthers Back to Relevance

October 3, 2012   ·   Stephen Fenech   ·   Jump to comments

The Carolina Panthers hired Ron Rivera to be their head coach on January 11, 2011, with the hope that he would revitalize their defense and groom whoever the team chose first in the upcoming draft. 
As it turned out, the Panthers drafted Cam Newton with the first overall selection. 
In Newton and Rivera's first season, Newton won the Rookie of the Year award as the Panthers finished with a 6-10 record. 
Considering that the Panthers went 2-14 in the season prior, Rivera was heralded for improving the teams' record by four wins in his first season. 
What was missed by those singing Rivera's praises, was that Carolina only beat one playoff team during their 2011 campaign. In fact, the Panthers beat the woeful Colts, the hapless Jaguars and Raheem Morris' Tampa Bay Buccaneers which ended last season as the leagues' laughingstock. 
So far this season, the Panthers have only won one game. That win came against the New Orleans Saints at ...

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