The Carolina Panthers got a massive boost when the Atlanta Falcons overcame a two-score deficit down the stretch to beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday Night Football. That puts head coach Dave Canales' squad atop the NFC South at long last, but the job is not finished by any stretch of the imagination.
Carolina cannot get complacent. They were undone by their own hype against the New Orleans Saints at Bank of America Stadium earlier this season. Now that they've had a helping hand to reach the division summit, the Panthers cannot let this slip.
Two more wins will secure the division and playoff football. Everything is still in front of the Panthers, and while fans are putting the champagne on ice, supreme focus must remain on the task at hand in the building.
Mike Jackson Sr. urges Carolina Panthers teammates to stay focused as optimism builds
That was the strong message delivered by veteran cornerback Mike Jackson Sr. He urged everyone not get too ahead of themselves. Being in this position is fantastic, but it counts for nothing if the Panthers cannot come through in the weeks ahead before their eventual fate is determined.
"Don't look too far down the road, because if we don't do what we need to do and win this week, it really don't matter. It don't mean nothing, 'cause we've still gotta play twice. Yeah, it's cool, but still gotta play the Saints and play the Bucs twice. Job is not done."Mike Jackson Sr.
This is something his teammates should hear loud and clear. They got complacent during preparations for their previous encounter with the Saints this season, and they were rewarded with an embarrassing loss. Fortune has favored them since, but staying the course is imperative.
Nobody will remember that the Panthers were top of the division standings with four games left if they don't finish there. It's time to close, and every single player has the motivation needed for one last monumental effort in pursuit of making the knockout rounds for the first time since 2017.
It doesn't get much better than that — certainly for a club that has hit rock bottom and been mocked beyond measure for years. The tide is turning, and even though this is a new feeling for most in the locker room, everything is trending up.
Jackson wants this trend to continue. He was to stay the course, remain committed, and continue to do the things that got Carolina this far in the first place.
And everyone — from the coaches to the players and even the fans — should follow suit.