4 silver linings from the Panthers heartbreaking loss at Falcons in Week 8

Carolina Panthers looked like a real football team

It didn’t end up with a positive result. But the Carolina Panthers are starting to look like a real football team again.

For fans, it’s been a long time since they could utter those words.

Much has been made of the turbulent three years spent under Matt Rhule’s almost absolute power. It’s been a small sample size, but interim head coach Steve Wilks looks to have installed more belief in this talented group that they can become more competitive in the coming weeks.

There were moments of poor play and the discipline issues were there for all to see late on. However, this was another slight step in the right direction for an organization devoid of any confidence before Rhule was removed from the equation.

Although their record might not suggest it, the Panthers are not far away from having a team that can potentially enter the postseason picture. Therefore, it is essential they hit big on their recruitment next offseason and also find the right head coach to get this franchise back to relevancy.

Wilks is well on the way to being genuinely considered.

The respected figure is loved within the locker room and is looking to right the wrong that took place when he was head coach of the Arizona Cardinals. But this is entirely dependent on how team owner David Tepper perceives things, which is unpredictable, to put it mildly.