The Carolina Panthers lost a heartbreaker Sunday night, falling 20-17 to the New Orleans Saints in a penalty-filled game that slipped away late.
Carolina blew a 10-point lead and watched the Saints kick a last-second field goal to seal the win. Despite the loss, head coach Dave Canales said the Panthers are focused on the final three games of the regular season and the opportunity that still lies ahead.
“There’s a lot of guys who are really disappointed because of the missed opportunities,” Canales said. “And there’s a lot of great leaders in that locker room who understand there’s a lot of football left in front of us.”
Canales also pointed to inconsistency as a recurring issue this season, one that has seen the Panthers beat top teams and lose games they were expected to win.
“The physicality of the style of play that we're looking for was there, but the execution was not,” he said. “And that's the part that we have to look at and talk to the guys about.”
The Panthers are now 7-7, tied for first place in the NFC South with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Tampa Bay will visit Charlotte on Sunday for the first of two matchups that could determine the division title and which team earns a playoff berth.