The Carolina Panthers have entered the off season with a rare commodity: the good will of their fans. After years of disappointing finishes and snake oil pitches, fans of the Panthers were near the end of their collective ropes. A 5-12 season is hardly worth celebrating, but it does match the best efforts of a single, full-time head coach since Ron Rivera was fired.
The efforts of the team down the stretch, actually matched what Dave Canales was selling fans throughout the year. The team was close but far from there yet. They notched four of their five wins in the final nine games, with three more games against playoff teams being decided by a combined 12 points.