The Carolina Panthers announced Monday that cornerbacks coach Jeff Imamura and defensive line coach Brady Hoke have been relieved from their duties, following the team's fourth straight loss.

Carolina fell 24-17 on the road to the struggling Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which dealt a huge blow to their playoff hopes. A team renowned for its stingy defense has struggled over the last few weeks, dropping them out of the playoff picture.

"In my judgment, I felt this was best for the team moving forward," head coach Ron Rivera said in the team statement. "These are always difficult decisions, and I thank Brady and Jeff for their hard work."

Carolina currently sits 14th in yards allowed per game (353), but just 21st in scoring defense, allowing an average of 25.5 points per contest. They rank 24th against the pass and have just 24 sacks this season, tied for 19th-most.

The unraveling began back on Nov. 8 against the Pittsburgh Steelers in a Thursday nighter. The Carolina secondary was no match against the Steelers, who dropped 52 points and 457 yards of offense.

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The Panther defense was solid against the Detroit Lions a week later, but they fell 20-19. A week later, the Carolina secondary was non-existent in the fourth quarter against the Seattle Seahawks, blowing a big lead and allowing too many big plays in the final minutes. Seattle escaped Carolina with a 30-27 victory.

Now, the Panthers are trying to recover from a frustrating 24-17 road loss to the lowly Bucs. They trail the 6-5-1 Minnesota Vikings by half a game for the final playoff spot in the NFC, and two games against the New Orleans Saints loom on Carolina's schedule. They'll need some help to get in the playoffs.

What This Means

It's a last-second desperation move for Rivera, who hopes the changes will help Carolina's defense regain its championship-caliber form. But if they miss the playoffs this season, it's possible Rivera will also be shown the door.

Realistically, Carolina will need to win out and get a little bit of help if they're to get in the playoffs.

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