It's an "us against the world" mentality for the Panthers this week as they look to end a seven-game winless streak on Sunday against the New Orleans Saints at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome (1:00 p.m., FOX).
"We have our work cut out for us, but at the same time we aren't scared of anybody," fullback Mike Tolbert said. "We aren't backing down. We're not shutting it down. We're ready to go and we'll see where the chips fall."
Young players have been added to the roster, but the Panthers have made it clear they are prepared to battle for a much-needed victory.
Here's what to watch as Carolina tries to get it.
RED ZONE REVIVAL?: The Panthers' red zone woes have been well documented. Carolina ranks 28th in the NFL in red zone touchdown percentage (43.7 percent) and the offense has scored one first-half touchdown in the last six games.
To keep pace with the high-powered Saints – whose explosiveness is amplified in the confines of their dome – Carolina must turn red zone opportunities into touchdowns. They need to execute and move past what's become a frustrating mental hurdle.
"It's like first down, you realize you are in the red zone and nothing is happening," quarterback Cam Newton said. "Second down, you are like, 'OK, it's not happening.' Then third down, it's like an incompletion or negative play, and it's happened (again).
"You have to try to clear that out of your mind so come next time you can focus in just a little bit more to get the job done."
Carolina's defense needs to address red zone issues as well. The Panthers rank last in the league in opponents' touchdown percentage in the red zone (68.4 percent). A red zone revival is a must to beat New Orleans.
CHALLENGE UP FRONT: Saints linebacker Junior Galette has been wreaking havoc against the Panthers.
Last year, Galette posted four of his 12 sacks in two games against Carolina. When the teams met in Week 9, Galette recorded two sacks and a forced fumble that set up a touchdown.
"Gallette is their guy up front," Tolbert said. "He is a helluva pass rusher."
The Panthers are happy that the same starting five offensive linemen will remain intact for back-to-back weeks. That's been a rarity for a team that's had a different starting combination for each of the last seven games.
The challenge for the unit this week is substantial, with silent counts often required to combat the crowd noise and pass rushers like Galette in the dome.
CAN STEWART KEEP ROLLING?: Keeping Saints quarterback Drew Brees on the sideline is always key in this matchup, and to do that Carolina needs to run the ball effectively.
The Panthers produced their best rushing performance of the season last week against the Vikings, with running back Jonathan Stewart carrying the ball 12 times, breaking tackles left and right, and accounting for 85 of the Panthers' 178 yards.
DeAngelo Williams is out with a hand injury, so Stewart is line for another heavy workload.
