A couple of months ago, the Carolina Panthers seemed to be headed for another disappointing season. Bryce Young and Dave Canales were both fighting to keep their jobs, and many experts had already given up on the team's playoff chances.
Now, they're one of the hottest teams in the NFL and are in control of the NFC South title race. To make matters even better, they just hit a mark that has eluded them for nearly a decade.
With their thrilling Week 16 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Panthers have won eight games in a season for the first time since 2017.
Carolina Panthers' win over Buccaneers marks their best season since 2017
It's been a grueling stretch for fans in Carolina. After making it to the Super Bowl, a decade ago the franchise has been moving in the wrong direction consistently. This season, they finally seem to be back on track.
Let's put into perspective just how long it's been since the last time Carolina reached eight wins. In 2017, they were quarterbacked by Cam Newton. Ron Rivera was still the head coach, Devin Funchess was their leading receiver, and Christian McCaffrey was a rookie. It's safe to say that it's been a while.
Now, Canales and Young have helped put together the best streak in recent franchise history. After starting the year with two ugly losses, they have won eight of their last thirteen games, including a three-game winning streak in the middle of the season.
The current Panthers are still far from complete. They're still a few steps away from being a major threat in the playoffs, let alone returning to the Super Bowl. But this win over Tampa Bay shows that, for the first time in a long time, they're headed in the right direction.
Now, it's up to them to close out the season. With two games left to go, they control their own playoff destiny. If they win their next two matchups, they'll win the division and earn a home playoff game. Even if they win their game in Week 18 against the Buccaneers, they'll stay atop the South.
Nobody's parading through the streets of Charlotte because the Panthers reached eight wins, but this is still a sign that this franchise is in the best situation it has known in recent years. Finally, Panthers fans have something concrete to be excited about.