Shaq Thompson: "We're a Damn Good Football Team, We've Just Got to Play as a Team"

Carolina Panthers linebacker Shaq Thompson laid into his teammates following the team's loss to Tampa Bay

Following the Carolina Panthers' 46-23 home loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, veteran linebacker Shaq Thompson laid into the team in the locker room for how bad they performed in the second half. 

"I mean, wouldn't you be embarrassed for that to happen at home?" Thompson told reporters. "I mean, we're a damn good football team but we've got to play as a football team. I was just frustrated. I love my teammates, I love my brothers and I know we're going to turn this thing around."

Carolina was outscored 29-6 in the second half and on several plays were just simply not in the right position pre-snap. Some of these things are very similar tendencies that we saw in the Panthers eight-game losing streak a year ago and in the seven-game losing streak in 2018. Much of the roster was not a part of those rough stretches, but Thompson was and he doesn't want to see this year's streak get to that point.

"We've got to start executing and winning. We got to start winning on third downs, got to start winning on first and second [downs], we've got to start winning our matchups one on one, everything. Once that happens, then things will start changing and we're going to start winning. On the defensive side, we've got to play better for the offense."

The one difference between this year's team and the roster over the last two seasons is this group is extremely young. When you have a good portion of your roster fairly new to the league or to the franchise, you wonder how they take a postgame message like the one Thompson dished out on Sunday. Thompson said he's not worried about how they received the message because he already knows how they will respond.

"I know my teammates will show up Wednesday. I know they're going to show up. That's going to be their response to my message. They're going to show up and we're going to be ready to go."

The Panthers return to practice on Wednesday in preparation for the visiting Detroit Lions, who will make their way to Charlotte this weekend.

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