The Carolina Panthers are playing meaningful football games at the business end of the season. That hasn't been the case in previous years, so it's a refreshing change of pace that signifies just how far this squad has come under head coach Dave Canales and general manager Dan Morgan.
Carolina has a shot to win the NFC South, sitting half a game back of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They also have the third-strongest remaining schedule league-wide, so things are about to get a lot more challenging before their fate is decided.
The Panthers won't be looking too far ahead, not after what happened before and during their shocking loss to the New Orleans Saints. That was a rude awakening to the dangers of complacency, and Canales warned his players not to repeat the same mistakes.
Dave Canales calls for supreme focus during Carolina Panthers' daunting stretch
Canales urged his squad to keep focusing on the next challenge and nothing more. Concentrating on what they can control, staying the course with their mindset and preparations, and executing effectively with fundamentally sound football are the goals. Everything out of that is out of their hands.
"We're sitting here looking at a bunch of NFC opponents, four out of the five that are in front of us, in the playoff picture, and so there's a real focus and opportunity for the group to say let's go one game at a time. We're playing the Niners this week. We'll worry about the next one when we get to the next one, but big-picture-wise, understanding our work is right in front of us. Can we execute? Can we maintain our focus and not be distracted by the rest of it? Because what is it gonna come down to? Fundamental execution."Dave Canales via Panthers.com
This is a journey into the unknown for everybody. The Panthers are most used to languishing among the bottom feeders at this time of year. Fans are typically evaluating potential free-agent targets and conducting mock drafts, not embarking on a playoff push. But with so many high-class opponents in the coming weeks, the margin for error remains razor-thin.
The Panthers have to keep their feet on the ground. They are ahead of schedule, and they have given themselves a fighting chance. But if they slip back into the bad habits that led to their demise versus the Saints, things are only going to end one way.
Embrace the moment, but maintain the same sense of urgency amid the chaos. If the Panthers do that, they'll be just fine.