Neither Nathan Cleary's return from concussion nor Isaah Yeo's 250-game milestone could inspire the four-time reigning premiers out of a funk now spanning four consecutive defeats.
Friday night's shock loss in Parramatta means the Panthers will finish the weekend in the bottom four with their first 1-4 record since 2013, when halfback Cleary was in year 10 at high school.
"We're in unchartered waters, to some extent," said coach Cleary.
"Six years ago we were (in this position) but a lot of these players haven't been there. It is sort of new for me too, to come from where we've been.
"But we've worked really hard over a long period of time to develop a winning culture at the Panthers. Winning cultures, they drill down on stuff that you can control."
Fullback Dylan Edwards and forward Scott Sorensen are returning from injury to face the Dolphins next week but five-eighth Jack Cole (head knock) will be sidelined as the Panthers fight to ignite their campaign.
Hooker Mitch Kenny could join Cole on the sidelines after a shoulder injury against North Queensland but coach Cleary is remaining calm amid the setbacks.
"I couldn't care less about the season slipping away," coach Cleary said.
"I have complete faith in this group and what we can do, what we can achieve."
On Friday, Penrith had the better chances, had an extra man advantage in a crucial window before half-time when Reece Robson was sin-binned, and faced a Cowboys side who lost their first three games of the year and co-captain Reuben Cotter to illness on game day.
But the usually machine-like Panthers were clunky in attack and struggled to contain a humming North Queensland left edge in their second match at their adoptive home.
"Clearly the flow you'd like just isn't quite there," Cleary said.
"Some of the errors that we're talking about are uncharacteristic, coming from various different players that usually wouldn't do that."
Jaxon Purdue continued to announce himself as a top talent at left centre for the Cowboys.
First, he sent an offload that helped Murray Taulagi to the opening try.
Then, he pounced on a Scott Drinkwater kick for his side's first of the second half after fullback Drinkwater had skipped through a hole to put Viliami Vailea in.
North Queensland needed only 12 red-zone tackles to score their four tries, the last of which came when Tom Dearden sent a pin-point kick across field to seal Taulagi's double.
In contrast, the Panthers fluffed their lines at close range, with one moment in the red zone summing things up as the final 10 minutes approached.
As Cleary frantically attempted a kick, Cowboys veteran Coen Hess flattened the champion half so completely that his boot was left swinging at the air, with yet another chance wasted.
Panthers winger Paul Alamoti came within inches of equalising late but replays revealed his left leg had been in touch when he reached for a try in the right corner.
Cleary had been important early, first crabbing across the field to set up an overlap that led to Casey McLean's try, then winding a grubber kick across field for Izack Tago to score.
But things didn't come so easily in Penrith's scoreless second half, with Tago sin-binned for a late high shot to stifle the Panthers in their pursuit of a late try.
Cowboys coach Todd Payten lauded his side on "back-to-back gritty wins" after last week's 10-point defeat of Canberra.
"(We) lost our captain on game day and just found a way and fought really hard. I'm really happy, really proud of the lads," he said.
