Panthers Still Alive! Fair Weathered Fans Rejoice!

In a court of law, I think I could prove that I am not a fair-weathered fan....but it would be tough.

Nevertheless, the Panthers still have a chance to make the playoffs. After a loss to Pittsburgh so bad it didn't even warrant a blog post, the Cats saved their season Sunday by defeating the Falcons in what was surely the most boring game of the year.

As we move into the final weekend of regular season play, our playoff hopes look grim. We have to beat New Orleans on the road, New York has to lose at Washington, and Green Bay has to lose at Chicago. Interestingly enough, the most far-fetched of these three scenarios is a Panthers' win. Washington and Chicago are tough places for mediocre teams to play, so a lot of people are expecting New York and Green Bay to lose.

Another interesting twist is that New York plays on Saturday. If they pull out a win, our Sunday game doesn't really matter.

I join the chorus of those predicting that New York and Green Bay will lose. I do this not because I'm a football expert, but because I believe it just has to happen this way. In keeping with the theme of this season, the Panthers must have the chance to blow it. Faced with the opportunity to redeem themselves and make the playoffs, they'll lose on some once-a-year play like a blocked extra point to end the game.