Panthers Return to Practice

The Panthers will return to practice today as they begin to get ready for Sunday’s visit by the New Orleans Saints.  Sunday’s game will be pivotal for both teams’ hopes of remaining in the NFC South race.  The Panthers and saints are both 4-and-6 and are two games behind division-leading Tampa Bay.  Carolina is mired in a four-game losing streak, while the Saints have dropped two in a row.  The Panthers earned a 16-13 victory earlier this season in New Orleans, and a win Sunday would give them a potential tiebreaker over the Saints.  The team hopes to have star wide receiver Steve Smith back on the practice field.  Smith missed Sunday’s loss at Green Bay with a shin injury.