The betting odds still say the Panthers are unlikely to make the playoffs this season, with their odds of making the postseason around +225. But Canales believes his team is heading in the right direction.

The Panthers haven't clinched a postseason berth since 2017, when Ron Rivera and Cam Newton were still captaining the ship. Their seven-year playoff drought stands as the longest in franchise history, and is tied for the second-longest active streak in the entire league.

Canales sees the Patrick Jones pick as a great defensive play more than a mistake by his third-year quarterback.