The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday Night Football pushed the Carolina Panthers to the NFC South summit. They still have to handle their business, but two wins over the next fortnight will book a long-awaited playoff berth.
And as this team stares at its most straightforward postseason path in nearly a decade, one truth is becoming obvious inside the building: someone unexpected is about to matter. Someone the rest of the league hasn’t paid attention to yet.
That someone could be rookie tight end Mitchell Evans, and his breakout may be arriving right on cue.