Kansas City head coach Romeo Crennel's recap of the Chiefs' 1-10 season sounded a bit familiar.
"We've played some good games against some good teams," Crennel said in a conference call. "We just haven't been able to win them."
Carolina can relate.
"They are in the same situation we're in," Panthers wide receiver Brandon LaFell said. "They are a pretty good team. They lost a lot of good games and people overlook them every week. They are just losing a lot of close games."
Turnovers have been a determining factor in games throughout Kansas City's season. The Chiefs are last in the NFL with a -21 in turnover differential.
"Our biggest problems are turnovers," Crennel said. "If we can eliminate the turnovers we would give ourselves a chance to be competitive and be in games."
Additionally, quarterback Brady Quinn -- who is set to make his fourth start of the season -- said maintaining an advantage in time of possession will be essential to the Chiefs' success against the Panthers.
"For us, it's trying to keep Cam (Newton) off the field," Quinn said in a conference call. "We know he is going to produce points."
"The biggest thing for us is just consistency, not getting in the third-and-longs," Quinn added. "The Panthers have done a fantastic job on third and ten plus this year. If we can just stay in those third-and-manageable, giving ourselves a better opportunity to convert on third downs and keep moving the sticks, that would be big for us."
A win, of course, would be huge for a team suffering through an eight-game losing streak.
"When you're losing, everybody tells you you stink and how bad you are," Crennel said. "The only thing that can change that is a win, and if you can win then everybody in the building will feel better about themselves.
"In this business, it's a production business and winning is producing and so when you produce you feel so much better about yourself because you've accomplished something."
After a win in Philadelphia on Monday Night Football, the Panthers will attest to that.
"It felt great to win," left tackle Jordan Gross said. "You start feeling better. Your body doesn't hurt as bad. The coaches are happier with you. Everything is better."
