Kelvin Benjamin: Panthers not the same team as last year

Last season, the Carolina Panthers went 15-1 and reached the Super Bowl. This season, they’ve started out 1-5 and appear unlikely to reach the playoffs.

Wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin appeared to hit on this contrast after the Panthers’ loss to the New Orleans Saints in overtime Sunday when he said the team is still trying to find its identity.

Panthers WR Kelvin Benjamin: "It's not the same team as last year. People keep thinking it is — it's not. We're still finding an identity."

— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) October 16, 2016

People wanted so badly to believe that the Panthers would be a top team this year just as they were last season, but it’s not looking like that will be the case. Big reasons for the struggles have to do with scheduling and injuries.

First Carolina opened the season in a Super Bowl rematch at Denver. Two weeks later they hosted one of the league’s most surprising teams, the undefeated Vikings, and also lost that game. Then Cam Newton suffered a concussion against the Atlanta Falcons, which led him to miss the team’s following game against the Bucs. Both resulted in losses for the Panthers.

Just as nearly everything went the Panthers’ way last season, nothing seems to be going their way this year. Maybe it’s not a matter of the Panthers not finding their identity yet this season, but rather their identity is of a team that’s not very good.