4 winners (and 3 losers) from Carolina Panthers' defeat at the Eagles

The Carolina Panthers fought valiantly against the Philadelphia Eagles before falling to defeat. It was another case of so near yet so far for head coach Dave Canales' squad versus a team harboring ambitions to go deep into the postseason.

It was a spirited effort by the Panthers. This is not the same team that went through a torrid stretch earlier in the campaign. They are more competitive no matter the opposition. The results aren't there yet, but they are not far away by any stretch of the imagination.

Carolina is now 3-10 on the season, but there is genuine hope for the future. This roster is still devoid of talent in key areas. They also need to limit the costly individual errors that make a significant difference in fine-margin situations. After that, more wins should arrive.

The Panthers have four games left and some difficult challenges upcoming. If they keep performing like this, Canales should be able to take something from another losing campaign in pursuit of brighter fortunes next season and way beyond.

That's for the future. For now, here are four winners and three losers from Carolina's narrow defeat at Lincoln Financial Field.

Winners and losers from Carolina Panthers' defeat at the Eagles

Winner No. 1

Josey Jewell - Carolina Panthers LB

Josey Jewell has come on leaps and bounds in recent weeks. The linebacker is quickly emerging into the beating heart of Ejiro Evero's defense. His performance at the Philadelphia Eagles in a hostile environment was another outstanding display from the veteran second-level enforcer.

The Carolina Panthers needed Jewell to be around the football consistently. Philadelphia's rushing attack got its fill, but it would have been worse had it not been for the free-agent signing's contribution.

Jewell was relentless from start to finish. The former fourth-round selection out of Iowa registered 10 tackles, 1.5 sacks, two tackles for loss, and two quarterback hits. This represented another step in the right direction for someone becoming a core part of the team's defensive plans.

This is exactly what the Panthers needed from Jewell once Shaq Thompson was ruled out for the entire campaign. He's answered the call in no uncertain terms as a tone-setting force capable of impacting proceedings in all phases.