Rejoice. The Carolina Panthers won a football game for only the second time this season.
It wasn't pretty, but nobody expected it to be looking at the poor form displayed by the Panthers and New Orleans Saints heading into the divisional clash. It came down to a few key moments. For the first time in what seems like an age, Carolina came out on the other end smiling.
Dave Canales was visibly relieved after the contest. The head coach needed something to prove things were heading in the right direction. He needed to show the world that the Panthers weren't just going to roll over and accept their fate. This was against a demoralized and under-strength Saints outfit, but it's still a win.
That's all fans wanted with another season spiraling into irrelevancy. It's been a long time since they've had anything legitimate to cheer. Building on this newly-acquired momentum is critical against the New York Giants before their much-anticipated bye week.
That's for the not-too-distant future. For now, here are five winners and two losers from Carolina's hard-fought success at Bank of America Stadium.
Winners and losers from Carolina Panthers' triumph vs. Saints
Robert Hunt - Carolina Panthers OL
Robert Hunt cost a significant amount in free agency. Looking at the way he's applied himself so far this season, it's money well spent.
Hunt's completely changed the mindset across the Carolina Panthers offensive line. Even with starting center Austin Corbett and left tackle Ikem Ekwonu missing in Week 9, the protection rose to the occasion and provided Bryce Young with the clean pockets needed to excel.
This was one of the biggest positives to emerge from the contest. Hunt deserves all the plaudits coming his way. He's setting the tone consistently, providing a level of accomplished performance and physicality that was sorely lacking previously. There are plenty of problems attached to the Panthers these days, but the offensive line interior is not one of them.
The former second-round pick's production versus the New Orleans Saints went overlooked. However, it was a leading contributing factor behind Carolina's overall triumph.