CHARLOTTE — As the infinite wisdom of "Ted Lasso" taught us, it's the hope that kills you.

Hope dangles what you most want in front of your face, enticing and hypnotizing, but often just out of reach. Hope leaves things up to fate as to whether or not you obtain it. Hope is inspiring and exciting, but hope is fickle and fleeting.

"It's been times, obviously I've prayed for this, multiple other guys," shared Chuba Hubbard on Tuesday. "I mean, me and Jaycee Horn were just talking in practice, talking about just the highs and lows and everything that it took to get to this point. So, we're thankful and blessed."

Much has unfolded to bring the Panthers to this point, sitting at .500 with a chance at their first division title since 2015. There have been improbable wins, gutsy performances, and a little bit of luck from around the league for things to break their way. But they know seeing your hopes come to fruition in one way doesn't always mean it will happen again.

"But we're hungry," added Hubbard. "We know how much this means to us and Carolina, so it's all or nothing."

If Saturday doesn't go the Panthers' way, there is still that hope the Atlanta Falcons can win on Sunday against the Saints and get Carolina into the playoffs as the NFC South champion (the Panthers would hold the tie-breaker in the three-way tie). That failsafe is hard to ignore, and Panthers players and coaches found themselves peeking at Monday night's game between the Falcons and Rams to see if Atlanta could open the door to the possibility.

"I did watch it," smiled offensive lineman Robert Hunt, admitting, "I was—I had some emotion to it, but I'm going to give you the political answer and say we got to take care of our business, and that really is what it is. We got to take care of our business and not really worry about even putting it in nobody else's hands."

Because if they take care of business on Saturday, they win the NFC South, plain and simple, then there is no need for hope on Sunday.

"It ain't really hope no more," continued Hunt. "It's an opportunity that you got to go take advantage of."

Added Hubbard, "Yeah, we're not even worried about (Atlanta). We're going in to win the game this weekend, so not worried about what anyone else got going on."

The Panthers know they are ready for this opportunity because one of the few things stronger than hope is certain belief. That is where Carolina stands, on the precipice of making the playoffs for the first time since 2017, that hope now coalesced with belief in their ability to capitalize on everything that has gotten them to this point to make it happen.

"Who wants it more? And that's what it's all about," challenged defensive lineman A'Shawn Robinson. "That's what we're fighting (for). That's what we tell each other: who wants it more, what are we willing to do? What are we willing to sacrifice? What's the lengths we're willing to go through to get what we want, to get to accomplish?

"We work our a— off day in and day out to make sure we do s— the right way. Does it always fall our way? No, that's the game of football, game of inches, game of everything. So we just make sure we stay on top of each other and stay committed and stay ready to execute everything we need to."

Carolina has infamously been on a back-and-forth ride this season, with no streak of any kind since Week 7, from which point the club has gone win-loss, etc., the pendulum swinging each week. But each win has reinforced their belief in what they are capable of achieving. That is what is carrying them into a game that can end with a division title on Saturday.

"Business as usual, but also urgency to get it done," revealed Robinson. "It's no casual look about this or anything. This is win-or-go-home, so it's business. We take it as it is.

"It's amazing, you know, you want this. I've been on teams in my career where you go home early, and you're not really, you're just trying to make sure you do everything right, and you finish out the year. But this is what you thrive for: December football, best time of the year."

For those who have been here in years past, it's hard not to cling to the hope, because for so long, that's all this team had. But with each brick laid, going back to last season, a more formidable and solid structure has been built. That's the kind of thing that a team can depend on when locked into the most important game of their season.

"Obviously, the last couple of years around this time, you're just kind of playing for pride—I guess you could say playing for pride, and the love of the game, and you're still doing that now—but it's obviously more," said Hubbard. "We're trying to change this narrative in Carolina. We've been trying to do it for a long time, so the fact that we're one game away, everybody feels it. You can feel the energy."

Of course, there is something more substantial than hope, belief, or luck.

"Execution," answered Nick Scott, without hesitation. And that is what the Panthers have to do Saturday. Execute at their highest level yet.

"You can hope or believe or want all you want in this league," continued Scott. "If you don't do your job, none of that s— matters."