Carolina Panthers coach John Fox tells his players every year around this time that the most important month of their football season just started - that they will be remembered by what they do in December.
At first glance, that theory wouldn't seem to hold in 2009. The Panthers are 4-7, and they'd probably have to win all five of their remaining games to have a shot at a playoff wild-card spot.
The odds of five straight wins for this ill-fated bunch? I'd put it at about one in 100. So, in playoff terms, December will almost certainly be meaningless to Carolina.
But here are four ways that December is going to be very important to the Panthers:
1. The future of Coach John Fox. All other dominoes must wait to fall after this one does - or doesn't. Team owner Jerry Richardson has been characteristically tight-lipped - he's never been one to issue a "vote of confidence." But the Big Cat has to be very perturbed about how the 12-4 team of 2008 has morphed into one that will win about half as many games in 2009 with close to the same personnel.
Fox has had more success and survived longer than the previous two Panthers head coaches combined. He has three playoff appearances in his seven complete seasons.
But Fox's flaws have been more apparent than ever in 2009 - an unwillingness to change, an inability to establish a consistent winner and a conservatism that borders on absurdity. A strong finish may well save Fox's job for another season. We probably won't know the answer on this one until late December or possibly Jan.4, the day after the regular season ends.
2. Quarterback. The Panthers still owe Jake Delhomme a boatload of money, and my guess is No.17 remains on the roster in 2010 no matter who the head coach is.
But will Jake start in 2010? Matt Moore seems certain to play a lot in December given Delhomme's broken finger and career-high 18 interceptions (I would have tried this switch long ago, but that's another story). It's been painfully obvious that Fox has serious questions about Moore's decision-making, or he would have relieved Delhomme of this recurrent nightmare of a season long ago.
The Panthers would be fools not to acquire at least one more quarterback in free agency or the draft. Whoever plays the best this month will have a leg up when a real live quarterback competition - the first in many years for the Panthers - breaks out next July.
3. The end of several eras. There are a number of places where the Panthers have looked very old this season, like at No. 2 receiver (Muhsin Muhammad) and fullback (Brad Hoover).
I hope a bunch of the youngsters get a chance to play more in December on both sides of the ball to help the Panthers see what they've got. For instance, I want to see more of tight end Gary Barnidge and linebacker Dan Connor.
4. Julius Peppers. Even though Peppers had a great month in the middle of this season, it was book-ended by an ignominious start and his current limited effectiveness due to a hand injury.
Surely Carolina won't short-circuit its entire salary cap a second time to sign Peppers again in 2010, short- or long-term. That's the wisest move - just let this end. Peppers is still a fine player, but his million-per-game salary is one of the things very wrong with this season.
