Attitude is what separates Carolina from contenders

	With DeShaun Foster out with a broken ankle, Nick Goings (37) will again be the Panthers' primary running back. Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Brentson Buckner had one major question about his team when this postseason began. He wanted to know if these Panthers had the same type of chemistry as the 2003 Panthers, that undaunted squad that nearly beat the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXVIII. That team, as Buckner fondly recalled, had a bunch of misfits, afterthoughts and overachievers who knew what it was like to lose 15 games in a season. These Panthers, though blessed with more talent, had spent the last two years listening to how good they should be.

It was valid concern for a 12-year veteran, but Buckner shouldn't fret any longer. The Panthers have passed their team chemistry test. In fact, they're playing so well that they're my pick to win the Super Bowl. Yes, they've got injured stars (running backs Stephen Davis and DeShaun Foster are both done for the season and defensive tackle Kris Jenkins has been on injured reserve since Week 2). And yes, they have to play their third consecutive road playoff game, this time in Seattle, in order to reach the Super Bowl. But if you think these Panthers are going to wither in the face of such circumstances, then you don't know this team. When times get tough, they merely get better.

I will admit I once had concerns about Carolina, especially when it looked quite ordinary earlier this season. I even questioned the Panthers when they let the NFC South title slip into the hands of Tampa Bay late in the year. But I don't see any need to doubt them now, not even after Foster broke his right ankle in Sunday's win over Chicago. After all, how many running backs did Carolina use last season when it made a late second-half run at the playoffs? It was only six, but it seemed like twice that amount. Every week Carolina had players falling and somehow it managed to keep fighting back from a 1-7 start.

This week the Panthers will be relying on the same unheralded ball-carrier who stepped up last year to fuel their ground game -- Nick Goings -- and I'm convinced the Panthers don't mind one bit. That's because they adjust as well as any team in the NFL. They don't dwell on their weaknesses, even when issues are piling up all around them like soiled laundry. They keep playing to their strengths. It's a mentality that head coach John Fox instilled in this team a long time ago and you can bet it will help them against the Seahawks on Sunday.