NFL-From near perfect to near collapse, Panthers to 'keep pounding'

Oct 10 (Reuters) - The Carolina Panthers flirted with perfection in 2015, but this season they are much closer to collapse as the losses have piled up. The NFC champions suffered a third successive defeat on Monday when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat them 17-14, which dropped them to last place in the NFC South, three games behind the first-place Atlanta Falcons. Considering the Panthers (1-4) did not lose a game until late December last season en route to their Super Bowl appearance, their current form is a surprise. "It's not what we expected but that's how the NFL works and you have to rebound," Carolina linebacker Luke Kuechly told reporters on Monday. "We have enough older guys on this team that we're not going to have any problems staying together. "We just have to play better football." The Panthers were without quarterback and MVP Cam Newton on Monday, as he sat out with a concussion, while starting running back Jonathan Stewart is nursing a hamstring injury. All-Pro cornerback Josh Norman, who helped marshal Carolina's impressive defence last season, also moved to the Washington Redskins. "It's a different year, we won the tough games down the stretch last year," said running back Cameron Artis-Payne, who scored two touchdowns on Monday. "We still have some of the same players that made plays for us last year. It's about executing." The Panthers are still one of the top defenses in the NFL, even without Norman, while Newton is expected to return next week when they travel to New Orleans and the team expects to turn their season around against the Saints, who are 1-3. "A lot of people are going to have a gut check," said Panthers defensive end Charles Johnson. "We have to stay with our motto. Keep pounding." (Writing by Jahmal Corner in Los Angeles; Editing by Greg Stutchbury)