CHARLOTTE – The Panthers have been a dynamite team the last two years in post-Thanksgiving Day games with a combined 9-3 record. The problem for Carolina is those games haven’t mattered much.

By starting each of the last two years 2-8, the Panthers have rendered the season’s stretch run meaningless when it comes to the playoffs.

In fact, Carolina fans haven’t had much to be excited about in December in quite some time. The Panthers haven’t been to the postseason since 2008 and haven’t won a playoff game since 2005.

Tight end Greg Olsen says this year’s team is out to change that.

Olsen says, “We can’t put ourselves in that hole and think a late six-game push is going to put us over the top when you start the season 2-8.”