CHARLOTTE — Panthers head coach Dave Canales sees the same pattern you see.

But perhaps because of his optimistic nature, he's choosing to latch onto the good stuff rather than what usually follows.

Since the three-game win streak from Weeks 5 through 7, which lifted them from 1-3 to 4-3, the Panthers have alternated wins and losses each week.

That's created a bit of a whiplash effect, as big wins like those at Green Bay and here against the Rams are followed by frustrating defeats (in both instances to the Saints).

"Yeah, this team is trying to find an identity of professionalism, of maturity to just have that consistent outcome weekly," Canales said Monday. "That's what we're looking for. That's what we're shooting for. That is our best football. That's what we have to go find, and that's the challenge that we all have as a staff, and certainly the players as well.

"We're all in this thing together, and we have to find consistency because that's what really good teams look like, because they show up week in and week out, and they do the basic parts of their job to where the other opponent should have to make spectacular plays to win the game. If we all do our jobs well, whether that's, whether that's offense or defense or special teams, if we execute our technique, if we do right, and we grade out at a really high standpoint and our technique is right, then it should take an excellent effort by the opponent, and those things happen and you've got to live with those.

"But the more that we can minimize the things that are given because we have poor technique or the things that are given because we missed an assignment, we have to get that out of our game, and certainly the penalty game needs to be cleaned up as well."

The Panthers committed a season-high 11 penalties for 103 yards Sunday, the biggest and most visible sign of that inconsistency that's plagued them this year.

Freak injury sidelined Turk Wharton

Over the past few weeks, the Panthers have been relatively lucky with injuries. After a rash of them at the beginning of the season, Carolina had returned most of their guys by the bye week and kept others healthy. Then, on Saturday, before heading to New Orleans for the Week 15 matchup, a freak injury sidelined one of their top defensive contributors, Tershawn Wharton.

During the walk-through on Saturday, he suffered a hamstring injury. That in and of itself is not entirely uncommon. But how it happened was.

"He just, honestly, he tripped," explained Canales on Monday. "He tripped on a teammate and put his foot down to try to gather himself, and that was enough to do it."

Despite being in coaching for nearly two decades, it was still a new injury to Canales.

"It was really unfortunate. I think that's, in my 16 years, that's the first time that's ever happened, and it's really unfortunate for Turk."

It meant the defensive lineman was unable to play Sunday, something that was gutting to the veteran.

"He was excited to be out there," the coach shared. "He was very upset and very disappointed, but we'll try to get him turned around, and we'll get the full—what that looks like on Wednesday."

Wharton was in the locker room on Monday and expressed the disappointment Canales mentioned, but also hopefulness that he'd be back as soon as possible.

Short-yardage game still in development

The Panthers have gone for and converted more fourth downs than any team in the league this season.

But the one they didn't get created questions for Canales, after he elected to run Chuba Hubbard on fourth-and-1 rather than kick a field goal in the fourth quarter that would have taken them up two scores.

While that's a situation many teams will run a quarterback sneak, Canales acknowledged that's not really on the table with Bryce Young.

"With Bryce, it's physics, you know, he goes about 190 pounds," Canales said. "And when you have a 220, 230-pound quarterback leaning on a center, that's an advantage, you know, when you're not putting a bunch of force that way. I don't see that as an advantage."

The Panthers have thrown out of that set and created some big gains, such as the 21-yard pass to Tetairoa McMillan on Sunday, or the two touchdowns Young threw for on fourth down against the Rams.

"It allows you to try to throw a keeper, throw a play action, and we've had some success over the course of the last two seasons finding explosives and short yardage at a higher rate than most teams who are going to sneak it," Canales said. "It's great to have a sneak. It's great when you can just, man, it's half a yard or something like that, and you know you can execute it with your quarterback, it's great to have that in your back pocket. But, you know, that's not our style, and so we just try to maximize our approach."

Canales alluded to trying different things, but they're also 23-of-33 on fourth downs for the season, converting them at a 69.7 percent clip.

Keeping the focus on the task at hand

Veteran offensive lineman Austin Corbett is the opposite of the Grinch. Not only is he the team's NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year winner because of his charitable works (vote for him here), but he's also a devoted husband and father who goes out of his way to include his whole family.

But after Sunday's loss, even he admitted the family might have to spend a little more time without him the next three weeks.

"It's time just to go up and excel and go win the division, and you just got to lock in one day at a time, be about it in every single moment that you get, eliminate any outside distractions that you have," Corbett said. "I know it's family time with Christmas coming up and the holidays, but you can hang out with family in the offseason. It's time to go, and you've got to lock in."

Canales acknowledged that the clamor of the holidays and external distractions are real, but said they have three weeks to push through to get to their goals.

"Yeah, just remind them, you know what makes Thanksgiving great is when you win that game that week," he said of managing the human beings involved in this business. "You know what makes Christmas great is when you win that game that weekend. This is our job, and this is what we're called to, and it's a gift. This is a blessing to be able to do what we do, and it goes through the holiday season.

"We have to be able to focus on this opponent this week right now, and our families, we love them, and we'll see you when we see you. We have to be all hands on deck when we're doing this, but that's what we all sign up for. My wife Lizzy will be the first one to tell you that. She knows this is what we signed up for. This is the lifestyle. We wouldn't have it any other way because it's a beautiful time of year to be able to do this, but it's going to require full focus."