hasn’t been all that pretty Blue Kawann Short Jersey , but ultimately they are standing here with a 3-1 record staring at a Washington team that just got thoroughly demolished by Drew Brees and his New Orleans Saints. You never know which way that will push a team. Sometimes it is a wake up call, other times they make keep that losing feeling for awhile. It certainly won’t be easy for them to recover this week, as they may enter the contest without Adrian Peterson, and possibly without electrifying multipurpose back Chris Thompson.The Carolina Panthers on the other hand may be nearly at full strength on offense. Right now reports are leaning toward Greg Olsen suiting up and playing on Sunday, and the Panthers could absolutely use that lift at the tight end spot. Ian Thomas is a promising rookie, but against the New York Giants, his freshman colors shined brightly and played a not insignificant part in Cam Newton throwing two interceptions. Meanwhile, fellow rookie D.J. Moore was much more heavily involved this past week than any other week, and should that continue it is going to make for significant headaches for the opposing defense.But really the story of the season so far for the Panthers has been the excellent play of their offensive line, and the disappointing efforts of their defensive one. The Panthers currently are a top five unit in the NFL running the football Christian Miller Baltimore Ravens Jersey , and are sixth in fewest sacks allowed. Defensively however, they rank in the bottom ten teams of the league from a yards per play and sacks perspective. The sack total is particularly worrisome, as this defense is built around maintaining pressure on the quarterback. Eric Washington should feel his seat warming up a bit, and hopefully he has something creative in mind to neutralize Alex Smith and the Washington offense.In honor of our opponent this week, I could only think of one dish that fits the bill perfectly. Fall might finally be upon us this weekend, and with that, it will be a really nice day to enjoy some grilled meats and eat outside. Well the perfect compliment to that, and to our opponents namesake is...Roasted Garlic Redskin Potato Saladthecreativebite.comThis Redskin potato salad recipe from thecreativebite.com is not your typical dish. There are a lot of ingredients here that kick this thing up a notch, which is exactly what the Carolina Panthers will need to do if they want to continue their winning ways and record the first back to back winning seasons in franchise history. For my part, I’ll be in enemy territory this weekend clad in all blue to watch the Panthers lay yet another beatdown on Washington. Enjoy the game and as always...KEEP POUNDING. Julius Peppers is retiring from football after 17 years in the NFL. He doesn’t really need an introduction here. Between his years at UNC and his two stints with the Panthers Color Rush Christian Miller Jersey , Peppers has been a sports legend in the Carolinas for longer than a lot of Panthers fans have been alive.He’s a modest man in spite of his unparalleled talent. His career was the length of two for a lot of people, but it was closer to five for the average NFL player. That length is unimaginable for his position. There are a small handful of active players who are on pace to pass Peppers’ place (fourth) on the all-time sacks list. They are headlined by the likes of Von Miller, JJ Watt, and Cameron Wake. Everyone of them is a star, but it would be foolish to bet on any of them having a 17-year career. We, as Panthers fans, have been lucky enough to watch the career of one of the absolute best to ever play this game. He played it among peers that, on their good days, could look almost as talented. We’ll be lucky to see his combination of dedication, humility Blue Donte Jackson Jersey , and superiority again. Peppers is family to the Carolinas. He grew up here and he played here. He didn’t just entertain us, he took care of us. His hurricane relief fund is one of the most public and straightforward initiatives started by a Panther to help this region in its time of need. He didn’t need to rehabilitate his image, he just did what you do for family.Both the Players Tribune article, penned by Peppers, linked above and the Panthers.com piece here have video tributes to and from him. I dare you to watch them without a tissue at hand.The Carolina Panthers have been gifted with a number of leaders in their short history who have left indelible marks on the franchise and the region. The fire of Sam Mills and the resilience of Thomas Davis spring immediately to mind. Peppers may have been quieter in his approach to the game, at least publicly, but his mark will be no less important. The Panthers are a lesser team without him, but they will always be greater for having been a part of his career.