Slow starts are nothing new for the Carolina Panthers under Ron Rivera, but the sixth-year coach hoped his team was past them.

The Panthers will drag a 1-3 record into Monday night’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, another 1-3 team that, like Carolina, is expected to be missing several key starters on both sides of the ball.

The difference? The Buccaneers were not picked to be much more than a potential wild-card team in Coach Dirk Koetter’s first season, while many expected the Panthers to vie for another Super Bowl berth, Rivera included.

“I started this year with the challenge of wanting to get back. And I still have that. I also think (there’s an) additional challenge now of where we are,” Rivera said. “I’m not happy with where we are. I’m disappointed with myself and things that we can be. I think we as a football team can most certainly be better, but we’ll see what happens.”

The Panthers will try to right themselves without four injured starters, including quarterback Cam Newton. The reigning league MVP will miss his third game in six seasons as he deals with concussion symptoms after a fourth-quarter hit during last week’s 48-33 loss at Atlanta.

Carolina also will be without running back Jonathan Stewart, left tackle Michael Oher and No. 1 cornerback James Bradberry.