It was arguably the biggest upset of the NFL season so far. After getting annihilated by the Buffalo Bills in Week 8, the Carolina Panthers responded in the best possible way, toppling the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field to put the NFL on notice.
When a perceived minor team beats a challenger, the immediate focus turns to what the favorite did wrong. The Packers were expected to win this game comfortably, and the Panthers ruined the script. It was a sign of how far this team has come under head coach Dave Canales, who's leading a genuine renaissance that has reignited the fan base.
Nobody pays much attention to the Panthers. But head coach Matt LaFleur was quick to point out what fans are quickly starting to figure out.
Matt LaFleur credits Carolina Panthers for sensational upset triumph against all odds
LaFleur was blunt in his assessment. He gave full plaudits to the Panthers for having the correct game plan in place. The coach also claimed that Green Bay deserved to lose — an odd yet fair statement he made to the media.
"Give credit to Carolina. They played the game that they had to play in order to beat us in regards to trying to run the football consistently throughout the course of the game and just make us dink and dunk the ball down the field, which we were able to move the ball. And then played good defense in the red zone. We did enough things just to, you know, we deservedly got our ass beat."Matt LaFleur via FOX Sports
The Packers weren't at their best. However, the Panthers didn't let them.
They nullified every major threat coming their way. The Panthers proved beyond a doubt that they are no longer going to be a walkover. This is a tough, hard-nosed football team that'll make you earn everything. Sometimes they don't meet expectations, but it's all part of the learning experience as Carolina gradually ascends into contention.
LaFleur warned about this before the contest. He knew the Panthers were going to be a tougher out than most experts anticipated, and he was right. It was a monumental effort, especially with so many injuries, which speaks volumes to the resolve and collective purpose that enveloped the locker room under Canales' guidance.
It's about time that the league started taking the Panthers seriously. This is not the same downtrodden franchise in years past. They are young, ambitious, and hungry for more. LaFleur was the latest to find that out the hard way.
And he won't be the last.