Rhule Expects McCaffrey to Play, "There's No Agenda Other Than Winning."
It has been quite a long year for the Carolina Panthers and first-year head coach Matt Rhule as they come into week 14 with a 4-8 record and sit dead last in the NFC South division. The record is pretty on par for what most folks thought to be a bottom tier team in 2020 due to a massive overhaul with not only a new coaching staff, but an entirely different look to the roster.
Carolina dropped their first two games of the season and in their week two loss to Tampa Bay, star running back Christian McCaffrey exited the game with a high-ankle sprain. He was placed on the injured reserve list just days later and in his absence, the team reeled off a three-game winning streak to move to 3-2. However, Carolina fell back down to earth and has lost six of their last seven games.
McCaffrey had a brief return last month vs the Kansas City Chiefs and went for 151 total yards of offense and two touchdowns. The only problem? He was forced to leave the game on the final drive after injuring his shoulder. McCaffrey has missed the last three games due to that shoulder, but is expected to return to the lineup this week vs Denver.
"I'm hopeful. I'm expecting him to practice," head coach Matt Rhule told reporters Monday afternoon. "There's nothing that would make me think he's not. It's just a matter of if he thinks he can go, but yeah, I'm hopeful he'll play."
During the last three weeks, there was some speculation as to whether or not the team would consider "shutting down" McCaffrey for the remainder of the season, but according to Rhule, that was never in play as long as he was able to return healthy.
"I've not had that discussion with anyone. I know modern society doesn't always see it that way, but we get paid and we have a privilege of doing a job and that's to play football. While many things come along with it - like if I coach any differently this week because we're probably not going to the playoffs, what kind of coach does that make me? Now, if a guy was in harms way, then I would understand that but if someone is healthy and they're able to go, then I would think that they would go. If the guy is not healthy, then I have no issue with that."
Rhule and his coaching staff have done a terrific job with this team in year one despite the 4-8 record. Six of their eight losses were all one score games, including a tight 33-31 loss vs the defending Super Bowl champion, Kansas City Chiefs. Rhule has full confidence in his guys that there are still games left on the schedule that they can win and shutting down McCaffrey would go against what he believes in.
"I told the team today, there's no agenda other than winning. There's no like, let's take a look at this guy, let's take a look at that guy. I want us to go win games. We've done a lot this year to overcome injuries, overcome COVID, hang in games people thought we wouldn't have a chance to win. Sometimes you guys will ask me ‘what does it take to learn how to win’ and all that. Like, I want us to go win. I want our players to make the plays down the stretch. I want us to coach well and I want us to go win. I want us to prepare like crazy and I want us to go out and play our best football and win games.
"I want to make this a serious football place. When you start saying well, these games are more important than these, then you lose the moral high ground. I just think it's our job to go out and play as hard as we can and try to win. But that thought of sitting a guy the last four games to get him ready for next year, I'm not doing that. I haven't had those conversations. In terms of the bye week, I thought it was good. To have such a young team and have them play 12 straight games and to finally get themselves a chance to catch their breath, heal up a little bit. I'm hopeful that we'll get Donte [Jackson] and Christian [McCaffrey] back for this stretch run and go play four great games."
The Panthers and Broncos are set to kickoff this Sunday at 1 p.m. on CBS.
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