Panthers' leaders still in control

CHARLOTTE -- Coach John Fox and quarterback Jake Delhomme emphatically validated one another's leadership positions with the Carolina Panthers after practice Wednesday.

Fox made it as clear as the blue sky above him that he isn't planning a quarterback change when asked if Delhomme would remain the starter.

"I didn't think that was a question, but if that needs to be clarified, yes with a capital Y," he said.

Moments later, in the locker room, Delhomme was quizzed about whether Fox still had the ear of his players.

"I promise you there's one voice in that team meeting room that's in charge, and it's his," Delhomme said of Fox.

Delhomme said he's been on a team when a coach no longer was in control of his players, but that that's "not even remotely close" to being the case now.

"We still have a pilot," he said.

The Panthers are off to a 0-3 start for the first time in Fox's eight seasons as coach. They're not excelling in any area and are being outscored by an average of 16.7 points per game, the second-worst points differential in the NFL.

Delhomme's play has settled down the past two games after committing five turnovers in an opening loss to Philadelphia, but he still ranks 32nd in the league in passing, ahead of only Oakland's JaMarcus Russell.

The Panthers have a bye this week and will practice today, then take a three-day weekend break before returning to work next week to prepare for an Oct. 11 home game against Washington.

Fox attempted to encourage his players Wednesday by reminding them that they're not the only 2008 playoff team off to a slow start. He pointed out that the Tennessee Titans (13-3 last season) and Miami Dolphins (11-5 in '08) also are 0-3 and that last season's Super Bowl teams, Pittsburgh and Arizona, are 1-2.

"So we're not the Lone Ranger," said Fox. "I don't want our team to think they are."

Fox, Delhomme and the Panthers are subjects of increasing criticism, but Fox said his No. 1 message to the team was "we get to define what we are, not anybody on the outside."

Fox cited a "definite lack of execution" in Monday night's loss at Dallas, but said the mistakes were more mental than physical.

"Those things are correctable," he said. "They are there for the taking. We've just got to take it."

Fox also took aim at the criticism of the Panthers' defensive tackles following season-ending injuries to Maake Kemoeatu (Achilles) in training camp and Louis Leonard (ankle) in the second game.

"A lot has been made of our defensive tackle situation," he said. "Do we have the best two tackles in the National Football League? I doubt that, but that's not why we're 0-3."

Despite the winless start, Delhomme dismissed a suggestion that a players-only meeting might be needed.

"Those are few and far between, and they need to be very far apart if you ever have those meetings," Delhomme said.

Delhomme's play has raised questions about whether his skills and confidence have declined. Former San Francisco quarterback Steve Young, a Hall of Famer now works as an ESPN analyst, suggested that Delhomme might not be as effective throwing deep passes as he was before undergoing Tommy John surgery on his elbow two years ago.

However, Delhomme called his arm "a lot stronger" now than before the surgery.

"When you're 0-3, questions are going to be raised," he said. "I haven't played that well. That's part of it. You've got to win to keep people quiet.

"If you win a couple of games, the weeks go by like days. If you lose a couple, the weeks go by like months."