CHARLOTTE — It was Monday in Bank of America Stadium, less than 24 hours after the Panthers had notched their fourth win of the season to go over .500 for the first time late in the season since Week 11 of the 2019 season. Coaches stood in hallways discussing moments from the film session everyone had just taken part in. Players milled about, gathering snacks before heading back into meetings, and there was a general buzz zipping down the football areas of the Panthers' facilities.

That in and of itself was noticeable, because it was the third straight Monday that players and coaches were conducting business as usual after a win, instead of taking what is colloquially known in the NFL as "Victory Monday."

Asked on Sunday, following a 13-6 win over the Jets, if that would be happening soon, defensive tackle Derrick Brown responded, "Never."

Victory Monday is an informal treat, something usually rewarded after a win, a punctuation mark for a coach at the end of a postgame locker room speech, when he tells players he'll see them Wednesday. It means the facility and training rooms are still open, but players aren't required to be in the building, giving them an extra day off (in addition to Tuesday's standing day off) to rest and relax.

Derrick Brown, Dave Canales, and the Panthers, though, aren't ready to allow themselves that luxury.

"We're in the process right now," continued Brown on Sunday. "We're in the process, and the process right now doesn't come with Victory Monday, so we're going to get ready to go to work tomorrow and get ready to turn the page (for) Buffalo."

Instead, the Panthers have what they call "Tell the Truth Monday," which demands a realistic self-evaluation.

"We call it 'Tell the truth Monday' because whether you win or lose, you got to look at the tape and look at the areas that we need to improve," explained Canales this week. "You celebrate the things we did well, and what we try to do is show film of the practice and preparation showing up in the games, and this just solidifies the process. This solidifies what it takes to find your best."

This has become a pillar in what Canales is trying to build, and few have helped lay a stronger foundation to uphold the work than Derrick Brown.

"That's just, that's not the program that coach has built," Brown said on Wednesday when asked about the lack of Victory Mondays, followed by a big guffaw, as if the very notion was ridiculous.

"I just love that Derrick is really connected to that part of it," said Canales. "Like, regardless of what happens, guys, tomorrow we show up, we go right back to work.

That work this week started, as it always does, in earnest on Monday, players and coaches carrying on with business as usual, refusing to allow any pride in a win to overshadow the work that comes next.

"No, it's just like, treat every game the same, and we get another win, doesn't mean the work stops," said safety Tre'von Moehrig. "We can't sit back and relax and kind of lose focus on Victory Monday and hurrah. It's really just a testament to the guys we have in the room, just hard work and dedication to try to get this thing right."

It's an example that is set in large part by Brown himself. The defensive captain is usually the first through the door every morning. He's always the last to speak in postgame huddle, the floor ceded by Canales for his veteran to speak. Whether Brown is playing a prank (something he apparently does with regularity) or demanding more from everyone around him, players have no choice but to listen.

Such as last week, when Brown was asked if he's more of a jokester than his on-the-field countenance and seriousness would suggest.

While he contemplated how much to reveal, A'Shawn Robinson popped his head over from his locker, intensely waiting on Brown's response.

"I just want to hear what you're going to say," Robinson joked.

Brown finally relented, "I joke every now and again, now and again. Depending on the situation," before teasing a coming prank.

"I think that's one thing about him, DB is so freaking dominant on the field, but off the field, he's kind of just like a dad, likes a joke," laughed rookie Nic Scourton.

"Like he's not the coolest guy off the field, like swag-wise, but he's just like a dad."

When you showcase that dominance on the field, though, to the tune of 2.0 sacks, seven tackles, three quarterback hits, and three batted passes in one game—from the DT position—you earn the right to become the voice of a locker room.

"Whatever the head man says, I'm all for it," said Scourton of Brown.

And that voice of their captain was, is, and will continue to tell everyone to walk through the door on Monday.

"It means a lot," admitted linebacker Trevin Wallace of hearing Brown refuse a Victory Monday. "Although we won on Sunday, let's not get too big-headed. We already know, 'Hey, we won, leave that in the past, on to the next opponent.' Go on Monday, watch what we need to clean up, and on to the next. You don't want to be stuck in the past, 'Oh, we won, we won.'

"No. Just keep going because I feel like that's where great teams are built —not stuck in the past or stuck on Victory Monday. Just go in there, just go execute. Just execute."

Added Canales, "I love that our leadership is focused that way. They certainly understand that we haven't seen our best football, we have not—we've seen glimpses of it. We've seen excellent play in areas, but there's so much more out there for us, and we should just continue to be trying to improve our processes all the way through the end of the season."