North Charlotte Today

If anyone in Charlotte knows where Tracy Smith can find a good Butterball turkey for Thanksgiving, he's open to suggestions. Someone recommended the Carolina Panthers special teams coordinator try Honey Baked Ham.

"If anybody can beat that, I'll take it," he said.

Smith is planning ahead as his family adjusts to life in Charlotte. However, his main focus this week is on the Kansas City Chiefs and finding ways to slow them down. He believes they have an asset in kicker Eddy Piñeiro.

During the bye week, Piñeiro moved into first place on the league's all-time accuracy list with an 89.381 field goal percentage. This achievement was partly due to Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker missing two field goals in Week 11, which dropped him to 89.348 percent.

Smith attributes Piñeiro's success to a key change.

"I noticed immediately that I wasn't getting enough credit for it," Smith remarked Thursday about the achievement. "I thought the things that have changed in Eddy have been innumerable."

"When I spoke to him first in the spring and I suggested that he use his right leg this year, I thought that was a real turning point for him to get him from two to one."

Piñeiro has always kicked with his right leg, but Smith humorously claims some credit for this victory.

In addition to Piñeiro's skill as a right-footed kicker, Smith highlights his focus as crucial for leading the league.

"It's a happenstance of a guy who shows up every week ready to do his job," Smith said. "He's an extremely consistent person, so it makes him a consistent kicker."

"As much as he celebrates after the kick, before the kick, he's as smooth as you'll ever see. They're all the same to him: the PATs, the 53 (yarder), the game winner; there's no difference when he's approaching it, and then just all the emotions explode at the end. Really fun to work with him week to week."

Piñeiro was limited on Thursday due to what was listed as a left knee issue but participated fully on Wednesday.

Defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero prepares for Patrick Mahomes this week. Having been in Mahomes' division while with Denver, Evero understands Mahomes' capabilities.

"He's obviously a great player," Evero said. "He's intelligent; he sees the field and there's really no weakness to his game."

D.J. Wonnum impressed coaches and teammates upon returning from injury by recording six tackles, two for loss, a sack, two quarterback hurries, and a forced fumble against the Giants.

"He's been talking about it all year about coming back and playing (saying) it ain't going to be nothing for me," outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney shared regarding Wonnum's mindset before his return game.

Wonnum's presence helped balance defensive attention between edge rushers like Clowney and himself.

"I was getting a lot of slides throughout the season this year and they couldn't really...he was winning," Clowney noted about adjustments needed when facing their defense now that Wonnum is back.