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A tight left groin has John Kasay questionable for Sunday. (PHOTOS: ANDREW MASON / PANTHERS.COM)

CHARLOTTE -- One could understand if Dante Wesley shuddered on the afternoon of Oct. 25.

Suspended from that day's game against the Bills, the Panthers' emotional and cerebral leader on special teams wasn't even allowed to come to Bank of America Stadium, consigning him to watch as his teammates gave up a pair of 30-yard kickoff returns, averaged just 2.0 yards on six punt returns and saw a muffed punt turn into a Buffalo recovery that set up the game-winning points.

Those struggles -- compounded by the 97-yard kickoff-return by Sammie Stroughter after Wesley was ejected at Tampa Bay on Oct. 18 -- understandably gnawed at Wesley.

"Watching at home was depressing because I didn't feel like they played with a swagger," Wesley said. "They didn't play agressive, and they let Buffalo pretty much run all over them.

"I knew before I was suspended how good Buffalo's special teams were, I just hated that I couldn't be a part of that, because I know one thing -- I'm going to always play hard and I feel like I kind of let them down because I was suspended."

Wesley's return didn't represent a 180-degree turn for the Panthers' special-teams fortunes at Arizona. They allowed the Cardinals three returns of more than 25 yards -- one of which LaRod Stephens-Howling took 53 yards into Panthers territory, nullifying a day that saw Rhys Lloyd drill six of seven kickoffs into the end zone, but allow three returns of those six for an average of 36.0 yards apiece.

But Arizona punt returner Steve Breaston was held to a 6.8-yard average on four punt returns and Captain Munnerlyn averaged 15.0 yards on three punt returns, moving him into the league's top 10 in punt-return average for the year; he's averaged 9.6 yards on his seven returns.

"We played faster and more physically," Wesley said. "That's one thing I talked with the guys about last week -- that we've got to play a lot more aggressive. I feel like we came out last week playing more aggressive, with more sound coverage.

"(Head) coach (John) Fox put it on us that we weren't playing hard and weren't playing aggressively and we got out-physicaled playing Buffalo. I wanted to make sure that we were ready and physical against Arizona."

Injuries to players like Dante Rosario, Brad Hoover and Charles Godfrey have necessitated some shuffling on the various special-teams units, which were already operating with a passel of players in their first year of work on kickoffs, punts and field goals.

"We have a young special-teams group. They're learning each game. I don't really fault anybody for that. It's a process," Wesley said. "I know that when I first came into the league when I was young, I had to learn. So they have to learn, but they're going to have to learn on the run. We'll help them along, but if they're giving a great effort and playing hard, that's all that matters, (because) playing special teams is just the will or want-to."

Which is something Wesley saw increase last week.

"I saw a lot last week, how guys really stepped up and played hard -- especially in clutch situations, where we really had to have good field position," he said. "They played real hard. If they can play hard each week -- and we can play hard together -- we should be all right the rest of this year."

BUT IF THE PANTHERS ARE TO CONTINUE IMPROVING ON SPECIAL TEAMS, they might have to do so without John Kasay, who missed a second consecutive practice Friday and is listed as questionable for Sunday's game,

If Kasay can't play, Lloyd -- who leads the league in kickoffs to the end zone and has been known to blast 70-yard field goals in practice -- would handle the placekicking workload. Lloyd has never attempted a field goal or extra point in the regular season. He did see some work in the 2005 and 2007 preseasons, hitting a pair of extra-point attempts and going three-of-four on field goals, including a 55-yarder.

SIX OTHER PANTHERS WERE LISTED AS QUESTIONABLE: Fiammetta, Rosario, Godfrey, wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad, running back Jonathan Stewart and linebacker Landon Johnson. Stewart and Johnson were the only ones among that group who practiced Friday.

HOOVER RULED OUT: A season that has been equal parts painful and infurating for Hoover will see him sit out for the third time. He missed the Week 3 loss at Dallas and the Week 7 defeat at home to Buffalo because of back spasms that dogged him for over a month.

The back pain subsided in the days between the Buffalo and Arizona games, but he subsequently sprained his ankle in the third quarter against the Cardinals.

"I finally get back to normal and then the luck of the draw, a guy falls on me when I'm engaged in a block," Hoover said. "Not that I can control it by any means, but it has been frustrating."

Fiammetta is the only other fullback on the roster, but his status is in question after he suffered a concussion against Arizona. Tight end Jeff King took a few snaps at the position late in Sunday's win after both full-time fullbacks had succumbed to their injuries.