CHARLOTTE — Panthers head coach Dave Canales bounced into the media workroom Tuesday looking tanned and relaxed, wearing shorts and smiling after a short walkthrough on a sunny and warm December afternoon at Bank of America Stadium that felt like spring.

But when he started talking, he sounded like winter again.

"Excuse my voice a little bit here," Canales rasped. "Told the guys they're going to get everything I had, so kind of left some stuff out there on the field."

Mostly, what he's working to find — other than his voice — is some degree of consistency.

Since winning three straight in October against the Dolphins, Cowboys, and Jets, the Panthers have alternated losses and wins every week since. When they followed big wins against the Packers and Rams with losses to the Saints, or an overtime win at Atlanta with a flat performance at San Francisco, the lack of week-to-week stability became a concern.

"I spent a lot of time thinking about that in terms of the messaging," Canales admitted. "I know I have to be consistent about the things that we believe in. Because over time that consistency will lead to an identity, it'll lead to a belief, and then it also just gives me a chance to challenge our group to challenge our guys to have a consistent product come alive.

"Are there things that we can all own as a coaching staff? Absolutely we have to look at those things as well and we're really transparent with our players about situations that we could have done better with the call or this or that. And we ask the players to be accountable also to their role and to executing with fundamentals and being where they're supposed to be in our different concepts, so that's got to be the focus."

There's nothing Canales likes to talk about more than finding consistency in the basic fundamentals of the game, but in his constant search for it, he's willing to adjust as necessary. Earlier this year, when they lost three straight on the road, he adjusted their schedule for the Jets trip. Little things can matter.

"I don't know if that was a big difference, but it was a change," he said. "I also want them to know we're going to compete and then we're going to compete to find any little edge that we possibly can, whether it's the practice style, the meeting types, or what time we set curfew and different things like that."

This week brings an obvious adjustment, because their normal Wednesday practice was being held on a Tuesday to accommodate a day off Thursday (amid rumors of something called "Christmas" in the middle of Week 17). But they're constantly working.

Their name is back in the news

The Panthers saw something they haven't seen in years on Tuesday.

When the NFL sends out its weekly release listing the clinching scenarios for teams involved in playoff races, they were in it.

They weren't in a position to do that in 2022, meaning it's been since 2017 since they've appeared in that particular document.

As the league noted, the Panthers can clinch the NFC South title with a win over the Seahawks plus a Buccaneers loss or tie against the Dolphins this week, or with a tie against the Seahawks and a Buccaneers loss.

You can read the full playoff scenario breakdown here. It's also worth noting that if they continue their pattern of alternating wins and losses, they could still benefit, since any win at Tampa Bay next week will earn them the division title, regardless of this week's results from either team.

Offensive line updates on Ikem Ekwonu, Rob Hunt

Left tackle Ikem Ekwonu was back on the field for Tuesday's walkthrough, after missing last week's game with a knee issue. The first injury report won't come out until tomorrow, but Ekwonu was moving around well in the portion of practice open to the media.

Canales said Monday that Ekwonu "was really close" to being able to go Sunday against the Bucs, but not quite ready.

"We just didn't feel fully confident that he could execute all the parts of his job," Canales said. "With his inside leg having the injury and knowing he's going to have to post on that leg versus a power rush, which they were a power rushing team. And then just, any type of situation that could come up in the run game where he might get rolled up on, we just didn't feel fully confident that he would be able to do his job at his highest level.

"I feel confident that he'll be able to do that this week, but we have to go put him through his paces and make sure that he feels great and ready to go."

Right guard Robert Hunt continued to work on the side, as they haven't opened his 21-day practice window yet in coming back from his biceps injury in Week 2.

Glad that Jaycee Horn got his due in Pro Bowl voting

While there was shock that Derrick Brown didn't make the Pro Bowl, the Panthers were excited that cornerback Jaycee Horn got his second straight invitation.

For quarterback Bryce Young, it was particularly satisfying considering the way the two of them spent (and still spend) so much time yapping at each other to bring out the best in their respective performance.

"I mean, that's my dog," Young replied when asked about Horn's honor. "It's great to see. He's been him all year, he's been the person that we all know he is. It's not a surprise, I mean, in the offseason stuff, of course we're always competing, and it makes us better being able to go up against a guy like that.

"But I'm super grateful he's on our side. He's the best in the business, so, yeah, it's not a surprise at all. I'm super happy for him."

Canales said he and general manager Dan Morgan called Horn with the news Monday night.

"I just wanted him to know how proud I am of him, of the hard work that goes into this, and I see how hard he's working on his body, on his mind, getting himself ready for game day, and it's all paying off," Canales said of Horn. "It's all paying off because he's doing things the right way and has a real professionalism about him."