CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Big. Fast. Athletic. Luke Kuechy heard all this about fellow Carolina Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis when he arrived in 2012 as a first-round pick out of Boston College.

But Davis wasn’t all this when Kuechly arrived. He was coming off ACL surgery on his right knee for the third time. He was in rehabilitation mode.

Finally, a few months later during training camp, Davis had a moment that is etched into Kuechly’s memory.

"A swing pass to the side and he turns the jets on," Kuechly recalled. "That’s Thomas."

Kuechly and Thomas finally got their first start together in Week 5 of that season when Jon Beason was injured. Kuechly took over in the middle next to Davis at weakside linebacker.

Since then there have been few linebacker combinations in the NFL that are better. Almost every week the opposing coach at some point during his conference call with the media will say there’s not a better pair in the league.

This week it was Atlanta’s Mike Smith.

"When you watch the tape, you see some guys that are playing fantastic football," he said. "Thomas Davis and Luke Kuechly, you’re not going to find two better on the same team in the NFL."

As poorly as the Carolina defense has played this season, Kuechly and Davis continue to set the standard for their position. Kuechly, the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year, leads the league in tackles with 105.

Davis is second on the team and 21st in the NFL with 66.

Carolina coach Ron Rivera has been around a lot of great linebacker tandems during his career as a linebacker for the Chicago Bears and an assistant coach with the Bears, Philadelphia and San Diego.

He doesn’t hesitate to mention Kuechly and Davis in the same breath as eight-time Pro Bowl selection Brian Urlacher and seven-time Pro Bowl selection Lance Briggs with the Bears.

"We joke about it, saying the biggest thing we’ve got to do is not mess them up as far as coaching," Rivera said. "They work together so well. One feeds off the other."

Kuechly isn’t so sure he and Davis are the best. He reminds that San Francisco’s Navorro Bowman and Patrick Willis, both injured, are pretty good.

He also likes Detroit’s DeAndre Levy and -- he couldn’t remember his name -- Stephen Tulloch, who is out for the season with a torn ACL.

But he appreciates the recognition.

"Thomas and I take a lot of pride in what we do," he said. "We try to be the best we can, and hopefully it keeps going that way."

Kuechly appears a shoe-in for a second straight Pro Bowl appearance. He’s first at inside linebacker in the voting.

Davis still is waiting for his first trip to Hawaii. He played well enough to earn a trip there last season, and is on that pace again this season, but outside linebackers in a 4-3 scheme seldom get selected because those in a 3-4 scheme get more sacks.

"You know how that goes," Kuechly said. "I know he wants to get out there, but other that he just wants to win."

That’s all both really want. With Carolina struggling at 3-6-1, both gladly would trade any postseason honor for a victory against Atlanta (3-6) and a chance to get back into playoff contention.

They know it’s possible with NFC South leader New Orleans at 4-5. They understand the defense is starting to play well enough to start a winning streak.

As bad as Monday night’s 45-21 loss at Philadelphia looked, the Eagles’ first 10 points came following turnovers in Carolina territory, and 14 others came from a punt and interception returned for touchdowns.

"I just want to win," Kuechly said. "It’s [Pro Bowl] obviously cool. It’s a fun deal. I enjoyed it last year. But I want to win. I want to win, I want to win, I want to win.

"You talk to just about everybody in this locker room, and that’s what they’ll say."

They will also say there is no better linebacker combination in the NFL than Kuechly and Davis.