"I feel like we're just right there," Brown said, passion lacing the voice of the team captain after a post-game interview in which he'd done his best to remain calm for over two minutes. "We got to go get it."
For much of Sunday, it did feel like the Panthers were just "right there." Then a ball would bounce in a weird way, whether on an interception in the end zone that arguably changed the course of the game, or a late Broncos fumble that bounced just enough for Denver to maintain possession, en route to a 26-21 win that dropped Carolina to 3-5, their third loss in a row.