Something feels different about the Carolina Panthers these days. It's been nothing but almost constant misery since David Tepper bought the franchise, plunging fans into despair and beyond.
Things are changing for the better.
There is now hope. A culture is being built to last by head coach Dave Canales and general manager Dan Morgan. It didn't happen overnight, but the Panthers being in charge of their own playoff destiny after beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 16 is a sign of how far things have come under this regime.
Those who were around during some darker days can feel it, too.