The Carolina Panthers’ playoff berth hinged on a single yard – that much was clear. But whether or not running back Jonathan Stewart got that yard ... well, that’s up for interpretation.
Some context: With less than a minute left in Sunday’s 22-19 win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Panthers trailed 19-15 and were driving for a game-winning score. Quarterback Cam Newton hooked up with Brenton Bersin and Kaelin Clay to ignite the drive, but eventually that rhythm stuttered to a halt, as it had for most of the game. Still, facing fourth down and 3 from Tampa’s 5, the Panthers needed a conversion (and subsequent score) to steal the game.