CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Observed and heard in the locker room after the Carolina Panthers' 19-17 loss to the Atlanta Falcons:
Asked if the Panthers, who at 3-7-1 are only one win behind Atlanta (4-6) and New Orleans (4-6) in the NFC South, deserved to be in contention for the division title with five games left, cornerback Josh Norman responded, "Does anybody in the NFC South deserve to be in it?"
Center Ryan Kalil was one of several players who stopped by the locker of kicker Graham Gano, who missed a 46-yard field goal with 1:22 remaining, to offer words of encouragement. Kalil actually apologized, saying the offense should have played better so Gano wasn't in position to kick a potential game winner. "Offensively, we came to the party a little too late," Kalil said.
Gano made no excuse for missing the 46-yarder or the 63-yarder that was blocked as time expired. "I can't wait for the next game," he said. "I hope it comes down to a field goal."
Losing to Atlanta wasn't the toughest thing defensive end Charles Johnson went through this week. He spent Thursday and Friday in a Georgia hospital with his grandmother, Ella Johnson, who had part of her lower leg removed as a result of gangrene that set in from diabetes.
Quarterback Cam Newton, when asked whether it was hard to imagine being only a win out of first place despite winning only once in the past nine games: "It's not hard to imagine. That's reality."
