While Cam Newton identifies with Superman, it’s Spider-Man who’s currently winning at the box office. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse teaches us that multiple universes exist where things turn out slightly different from our current reality. (On a personal note, I strongly identified with the middle-aged Spider-Man with salt-and-pepper hair and a bit of a gut, but I digress.)
In the spirit of exploring alternate universes, in another dimension the Carolina Panthers finished the 2018 season with an 11-5 record and are prepping for the playoffs right now. Here’s how:
Week 11 - Panthers 19, Detroit Lions 20
Our Reality: The Panthers scored a touchdown with 1:14 remaining to trim Detroit’s lead to 20-19. Carolina went for a go-ahead two-point conversion. Jarius Wright got open in the end zone but Cam Newton overthrew him on the failed attempt.
Panthers-Verse: Cam connects with Wright to give the Panthers a 21-20 lead. Luke Kuechly seals the game with an interception and the the Panthers go to 7-3 on the season.
Week 12 - Panthers 27, Seattle Seahawks 30
Our Reality: The Panthers led 27-20 with 3:33 remaining. The Seahawks faced a 4th-and-3 at the Carolina 35. David Moore beat Corn Elder (who was filling in for an injured Donte Jackson) for a touchdown to tie the game, and Seattle went on to win.
Panthers-Verse: Donte Jackson never gets injured and knocks away the deep pass to David Moore. The Panthers get the ball back with a 27-20 lead with 3:33 left, punt with 1:07 remaining, then knock down a Russell Wilson Hail Mary on the last play of the game. Carolina goes to 8-3.
Week 14 - Panthers 20, Cleveland Browns 26
Our Reality: In Week 13 the Panthers lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in every universe (due to Cam’s four interceptions) then faced the Browns in Week 14. With 2:35 remaining, Cam overthrew Jarius Wright on 4th-and-Goal from the three yard line on a play that would’ve put the Panthers up 27-26 late in the game.
Panthers-Verse: Cam hits Wright with a perfect pass and the Panthers go up 27-26 with 2:35 left. The Browns drive down for a game-winning 52-yard field goal attempt but miss it wide left as the Panthers go to 9-4.
Week 15 - Panthers 9, New Orleans Saints 12
Our Reality: The Panthers led 7-6 and had the ball at the New Orleans 13 with just 18 seconds left in the second quarter. Cam threw a devastating interception which took at least a field goal off the board. Then, late in the third quarter with the Panthers still leading 7-6, D.J. Moore lost a fumble at the New Orleans 28.
Panthers-Verse: Cam doesn’t throw the interception and Carolina kicks a field goal to go up 10-6 at the half. D.J. Later, D.J. Moore doesn’t fumble late in the third and his run sets up a Christian McCaffrey touchdown to put the Panthers up 17-6. Carolina wins and improves to 10-4.
In the Panthers-Verse, Carolina still splits with the Falcons and Saints to finish the season, but in reverse order. Week 16 turns into a home win against the Falcons with a dinged-up but hungry Cam Newton playing (instead of Taylor Heinicke) to go to 11-4, then Week 17 at New Orleans turns into a loss as the Saints now have to play for the No. 1 seed due to their Week 15 loss to the Panthers.
In the Panthers-Verse, Carolina is 11-5 and headed to the playoffs right now. All it took was five plays going our way:
- Cam connects with Jarius Wright on a two-point conversion to beat the Lions.
- Carolina’s defense doesn’t surrender a touchdown to Seattle on 4th-and-3.
- Cam doesn’t overthrow Jarius Wright from the three yard line against the Bucs.
- Against the Saints, Cam doesn’t throw the pick to end the half and D.J. Moore doesn’t fumble.
Football really is a game of inches. So many games swing on just one or two big plays.
With that in mind there is another Panthers-Verse where the 2018 Panthers go 4-12 because two incredible plays don’t go their way and the Saints don’t tank in Week 17.
- Week 5 - Panthers 33, New York Giants 31: Graham Gano misses the game-winning 63-yard field goal.
- Week 7 - Panthers 21, Philadelphia Eagles 17: Cam doesn’t make an incredible play to connect with Torrey Smith on 4th-and-10 with 2:06 remaining while trailing 17-14, setting up the game-winning score.
- Week 17 - Panthers 33, New Orleans Saints 14: The Saints don’t have the No. 1 seed wrapped up and actually play Drew Brees and the starters, beating Carolina 142-6 (or thereabouts). Instead of 7-9 in our current universe, the Panthers just finished 4-12 in this terrible Panthers-Verse.
The 2018 Panthers are who their record says they are, a disappointing 7-9 squad that choked away the second half of the season with questionable coaching and sloppy execution on both sides of the ball.
For the optimists, we could’ve gone 11-5 by just making a couple of big plays.
For the pessimists, we were just a couple of lucky breaks away from a putrid 4-12 season.
Unfortunately for us as Carolina fans, our Panthers-Verse is a 7-9 record and a team in flux. Here’s to hoping the universe allows a few more things to break our way in 2019.