Give Steve Smith credit. He’s accountable. After the Carolina Panthers wide receiver turned in a shabby game, he was first to stand up and say so, mincing no words about his own part in the team’s 20-10 loss at St. Louis. “For me personally I let my teammates down. I played horribly,” Smith said, beginning what would become a torrent of self-flagellation. “Probably one of my worst games in my career. Offensively, the loss goes on me. I didn’t help us win. “I take full responsibility on screwing things up. Didn’t play well, didn’t play at a high level, and it was like for a few plays I messed up, it was like they played with 10 men on the field.” Pretty much. Smith had nine receptions for 85 yards, but that doesn’t begin to describe his day. He also had at least two drops and a fumble when he was trying desperately to make something out of nothing. — Charlotte Observer

Panthers QB Matt Moore has 10 games to prove he can be a starting quarterback in the NFL or not. Ten games to prove he deserves a big contract when he becomes a free agent after this season. Ten games to prove he’s learned from his past mistakes and can handle the pressure. So how does he approach those games? The same way he said he should have approached the first two games of the season. “I’m going to approach them just like last week – real loose but aggressive,” Moore said. “You can’t go in worrying about mistakes or worrying about your record or someone else’s record. You have to go in fearless and try to operate the offense the best I can.” – Gaston Gazette

If David Clowney doesn’t start, the Panthers would roll out against Chicago Sunday with rookies at quarterbacks and both receiver spots, since the only other options are draft picks Brandon LaFell, David Gettis and Armanti Edwards. If that happens, it will be the first time it’s happened in more than a decade. The last rookie trio at those positions was on Dec. 19, 1999, when Cleveland lost to Jacksonville. That was the day first-round quarterback Tim Couch had receivers Kevin Johnson and Darren Chiaverini flanking him. The Browns lost that game 24-14. — Charlotte Observer

At 31, Steve Smith is the oldest of the Panther position players. He also is the best player the Panthers have ever had. But this isn’t working. The roster is full of players trying to figure out the NFL while Smith tries to figure out why he isn’t getting the ball. Smith, who has two seasons after this one on his contract, called me seven months ago and talked wistfully about what New Orleans did in the Super Bowl. He told me he no longer needed to be the fast guy and deep threat. He was willing to share. He wanted to share. I’m paraphrasing, but Smith wanted his offense to scare defensive coordinators so badly they couldn’t play golf for a month. Such an offense exists. But, at least for now, it does not exist here. – Charlotte Observer

Panthers QB Matt Moore was signed to a one-year, $3.043 million restricted free agent contract this offseason, and would likely be unrestricted next offseason depending on what happens with a new labor agreement. And while many would have considered his demotion inevitable from the time they took Jimmy Clausen with the 48th overall pick, Moore said he never viewed things that way. “I try not to worry,” Moore said. “I believe in myself, and I know I can do the job. I don’t think my thoughts were headed in that direction at all. I was confident, and I still am. I know I can play. “Unfortunately, the last two showings haven’t been great, so this is the option we have and they went with it. I’ve just got to be ready if called upon, like I said.” Moore was responsible for six turnovers, a 40.8 completion percentage and a 41.8 passer rating in two starts this season. — Charlotte Observer

Former Panther Rhys Lloyd flew in Monday night and will work out with the team Tuesday. While they’ve discussed some things with his agent, a contract hasn’t been offered. “We’re talking,” agent Frank Murtha said Monday afternoon. “We’ll see what happens tomorrow.” Lloyd signed with the Panthers before the last game of the 2007 season, and stayed here through last season. He wasn’t tendered a contract as a restricted free agent this offseason, since the Panthers didn’t want to pay him $1.1 million. Instead, he signed with Minnesota, but the Vikings released him in final cuts after a lackluster preseason (his only two touchbacks were in the final game). They had expressed some interest in bringing him back, Murtha said, but were unable to at the moment because of injuries at other positions. – Charlotte Observer

Carolina Panthers starting RT Jeff Otah said he had a “mini-setback” in his recovery from arthroscopic knee surgery and it may cost him the first couple games of the 2010 regular season. Otah, who hasn’t practiced at all during the preseason and has missed both days of practice this week, is not likely to play Sunday against the New York Giants. When asked when he hopes to return to the field, Otah said, “Hopefully in the next couple of weeks — next two or three weeks – I can get out there and start practicing.” — Gaston Gazette

Thomas Davis is holding out hope he will play this season. The Panthers’ linebacker, attempting to come back from his second torn ACL in his right knee in seven months, believes he is on track to return this year. “We’re just hoping and wishing that everything keeps going the way that it is right now, and I should be back midway through the season,” Davis said Thursday. “That’s the goal, and right now we’re on course to actually making that.” Davis re-injured his knee in June while backpedaling during a noncontact drill. The ensuing surgery came seven months after Davis first tore his ACL at New Orleans in November, ending what had been a Pro Bowl-type season. Davis is on the physically unable to perform list, which requires him to miss the first six weeks of the season. The Panthers then have three weeks to decide whether Davis can play this season. — Charlotte Observer

A league source said that one NFC team called recently inquiring about the availability of running back Tyrell Sutton, but were promptly dismissed by the Panthers, who had no interest in trading him. Panthers officials wouldn’t comment, saying they don’t discuss conversations with other teams. — Charlotte Observer

Panthers WR Steve Smith was open and engaging discussing the injury, his prognosis and what he’s going to try to do to protect himself. Asked if he was worried that opponents might try to target his twice-broken left arm, Smith shrugged. “I really haven’t thought about it. I hope not,” Smith replied. “I would hope that it wouldn’t be a target, but who knows. Every so often you’ll come up on a chump that may try whatever – emphasis on chump. … “I mean if they want to try, they can come get some if they want it. I don’t think it’s going to work out too well for them. There ain’t much bone left in this thing.” — Charlotte Observer