Accountability message is clear for the Carolina Panthers

Accountability is a message that’s ringing loud across the Carolina Panthers following their Week 12 loss to the Washington Football Team.

The Carolina Panthers have been preaching an important message from the moment Cam Newton stepped into the building for his triumphant return.

Accountability.

Newton is not an idiot. And it probably didn’t take him long to realize that this roster might be going through the motions to a certain extent thanks in no small part to the inept quarterback production coming from Sam Darnold before he was mercifully placed on the reserve/injured list.

Morale was low. And in all honesty, even the veteran leaders weren’t really holding themselves or anybody accountable for the team’s failings.

Slowly but surely, that is starting to change.

Newton made no secret of his desire to improve this key character trait across the board during his introductory presser. Something that was evident within comments made by the playing staff following their disappointing home loss to the Washington Football Team in Week 11.

Talk is cheap, obviously.

But the Panthers are at least holding each other to a higher standard, which cannot be said of defeats earlier on in the campaign.

This is about mentality. Accepting nothing but the maximum effort and the best from yourself and those you’re going to battle with.

Carolina Panthers are beginning to get the accountability message.

Taking accountability means nothing if players and coaches making mistakes don’t rectify them. This is a sentiment echoed by outside linebacker Haason Reddick, who didn’t mix his words when talking about how the atmosphere within the locker room needs to change.

"“We’ve got to hold everybody accountable. It wasn’t good enough, and we have to throw the friendships out the way, the buddy-buddy out the way. Our vets, the guys are playing well, the guys that are doing things the right way, maybe not right all the time, but at a high percentage, we have to step up and start holding guys accountable. To help us win, we have to hold everyone accountable, all the way across the board.”"

Losing hurts. Or at least it should.

Shaq Thompson was less receptive during Monday’s presser, with the message of “do your job” coming across during the briefest of media availability from what appeared to be a very frustrating figure less than 24 hours following their latest reverse at Bank of America Stadium.

The coaching staff also need to hold themselves accountable. It’s all well and good throwing the blame on execution when it matters, but a lack of adjustments in-game and at the half is constantly killing the Panthers. Their league-leading number of penalties is another damning indictment of Matt Rhule’s methods.

It’s put up or shut up time for Carolina at the Miami Dolphins in Week 12. Another defeat would make things extremely difficult for the team to clinch a surprise playoff spot, so the stakes could not be any higher.

We’re about to find out what this Panthers team is made of. Nothing more than a collective effort will do, but there is no denying the talent from top to bottom.

Putting it all together at the same time seems to be the problem.

Miami is on the back of a three-game winning streak. A fixture that was once a virtual lock to win earlier in the season is no longer the case.

What transpires this week and on game day is going to come with some substantial ramifications. Being held accountable is just the start for this group, which needs to follow the likes of Newton, Reddick, and Thompson in pursuit of the same goal.

Victory. Progression. Excellence.

But it won’t be long before the time for talk is over.