The Carolina Panthers might not have won their wild card matchup against the heavily-favored Los Angeles Rams but they came oh so close to doing so. Had they knocked off the Rams, it'd have been the biggest upset of the entire playoffs for sure.
Sadly, the Panthers came up short but it's definitely a prime example of a moral victory. The Rams were double-digit favorites entering this game yet it took a last minute touchdown drive for Los Angeles to win the game and even then, the Panthers got the ball back with a chance to tie or take the lead in the final minute.
Michael Strahan said exactly what Panthers fans (and probably non-Panthers fans as well) were thinking following the game. Strahan was talking about the performance Carolina put together and hit the nail on the head with his comments.
"It's a reality check for Carolina to know that they belong in this," Strahan said on the FOX postgame show. "And they have a young team so I'm excited to see what they can do in the future"
Michael Strahan explains why Panthers loss felt bigger than a win
No one gave the Panthers a chance in this game but, when push came to shove, they gave the Rams everything they could handle. They only lost by a field goal too, so they covered and proved that, whether people want to believe it or not, this was a good team.
Strahan's comments ring true because now the Panthers have seen that they could hang with one of the top dogs not just in the NFC but in the entire NFL, it could change everything for them moving forward. Bryce Young played well and hopefully that gives him a big boost of confidence entering a key fourth season in the league.
It's never fun to lose, especially when the loss ends your season, but the Panthers have a ton to be proud of and to look forward to in the future. Let's hope this momentum carries over into next season.