“I’m proud of the way we battled, the way we played all the way to the end,” Canales said. “Just believing if we got time and downs, we got a chance in this thing, and the way the guys came together and fought together, I was really proud of that part.
“And now, you know, it’s in the hands of another game, and that’s not what we were hoping for, but there’s still hope. They’re still alive, and the locker room is certainly sick about a missed opportunity.”
The Panthers will win the division in a three-way tie because they swept the Falcons this year, and Atlanta split with Tampa Bay. But now, they’re all Falcons fans.
“We’re all gonna be on the edge of our seats tomorrow watching that game,” Canales said. “Hoping for the Falcons to pull through, but at the same time, at least we have that hope to look at, but we have to look at ourselves, and we have to make sure that in these championship moments that we play our best.”
There were plenty of emotions in that locker room, hushed tones, as players tried to process how close they were to a celebration.
