For most of Dave Canales' time in Carolina, the conversation has been about what the Panthers might eventually become. There have been good stretches, some bad ones and plenty of weeks where we were left wondering whether this thing was actually headed in the right direction.

We're finally getting an answer.

NFL.com's Nick Shook has the Panthers at No. 13 in his latest power rankings, but what he said about Canales and the Panthers stood out more to me than the ranking itself. Shook called Carolina more consistent than it has ever been under Canales and said the Panthers look like a playoff team. He also said he's very optimistic about Carolina's chances of winning the NFC South.

That's not something we've heard much around here lately, but I'm starting to understand why he's saying it.

Canales finally has something to build on

Sep 27, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales looks on during the second quarter against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field.…