Dear Carolina Panthers,

This year was an incredible year for the franchise. At the beginning of the year, the critics said that we wouldn't go far. They said that our offense was not strong enough, with the injury of Kelvin Benjamin in the pre-season, as well as an untested receiving corps, and the loss of DeAngelo Williams to free agency. Yet you opened the season 4-0 leading into the bye week. Although the wins weren't the prettiest victories, you beat Jacksonville, Houston, New Orleans, and Tampa Bay.

Then came the four-week stretch that seemed the hardest leading into the year. After the bye, a trip to CenturyLink Field to take on the Seahawks, followed by home games against the Eagles, Colts, and Packers. The Seahawks lead for a large part of the game, but a late drive capped by a Greg Olsen touchdown brought victory in the toughest stadium for any team to play in. Then the Sunday night game against the Eagles, which brought us up to 6-0. The Colts Monday night game was stressful, but in the end, Graham Gano brought us to victory with his field goal. And then the Packers. This was the game that many thought would bring the end of the undefeated season. But instead, it just prolonged the streak, up to 8-0. The next three weeks were throwaway games, against the Titans, Redskins, and Cowboys on Thanksgiving. It was at this point that the league starting turning to have its eyes on you. However, they were just as critical as before the season, saying that your strength of schedule was not up to par with some of the "elite" teams in the NFL. They said that the Cardinals were favourites to win the NFC, that Carson Palmer was a more wholesome player, and that their overall team was better. This only fueled you to play better. The next week, you came out and thrashed Atlanta, 38-0. Things seemed to be going your way.

But things slowly started to crumble. The trip to the Meadowlands was nothing you should be proud of. Being up 35-7 over the Giants, victory seemed certain. But you let your ego get the better of you. You let the young stars duel, Josh Norman and Odell Beckham Jr. They sparred the whole game, and you almost let this get the better of you as a whole. Both players should have been ejected, or benched, and suspended the next game. The next game. Atlanta, the team whom you obliterated two weeks prior. Clearly rattled by the events of the Giants game, you traveled to the Georgia Dome, and were handed your first loss of the season. Words cannot describe how defeated everyone was when this happened. Yet you pushed on, finishing the season by defeating the Buccaneers 38-10, clinching the #1 seed in the NFC, and thus the first round bye and home field advantage, a place at which you haven't lost since November 2014.

Then came the playoffs. After a restful bye week, you faced the Seahawks again, this time in Charlotte, coming off a near-loss to the Vikings in a game that they honestly did not deserve to win. You went up big early, 31-0 at the half, but then scared fans by letting in 24 points in the second half. People wondered if you would be able to hold up against the Cardinals the following week. But oh how you did. Not only did you hold up against them, you blew them out of the water, 49-15. You looked like the team to beat coming into the Super Bowl, and were 5 1/2 point favourites before the game. But Denver's defense is just something that one could not combat. Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware were so good. Aqib Talib was dirty, but a great player. And you turned the ball over many times. Of course, there was the controversial non-catch of Jerricho Cotchery, which should have been ultimately ruled a catch. There were many plays that were miscalled. But the penalties, turnovers, and mistakes caught up to you. In the end, Peyton Manning rose victorious over you, 24-10. Everyone began criticising again, critiquing Josh Norman for crying on the bench after the loss, calling Cam Newton a bad sport for walking out after his interview. And maybe those things happened, but history is written by the victor. People do not show the photos of Cam or Josh congratulating Peyton after the game. People do not realise that after his loss to the Saints in Super Bowl XLIV, Peyton stormed off the field, not congratulating Drew Brees, not doing any of the things that Cam did. And yet, you get villainized for these things.

But this loss is not the end. It is merely the beginning. ESPN has already ranked you as the #1 team in their "Way-too-early" Power Rankings. Your core is young, studded by stars such as Norman, Luke Kuechly, Cam, Kelvin Benjamin. The veterans such as Greg Olsen and Thomas Davis provide the experience needed to lead those younger players. Ron Rivera won Coach of the Year two of the last three years, and you still have that unblemished home record since November of 2014. The future is bright, and you just need to keep pounding. Because, from a loyal fan, we all will keep pounding.