GLENDALE, Ariz. — There were a few little plays along the way, the kinds of small things the Panthers are clinging to.

They lost 27-22 to the Cardinals on Sunday, and may have lost a couple of starting offensive linemen to injuries (tests will be Monday back in Charlotte). And they're 0-2, after a couple of weeks of digging their own holes early.

But they were also able to convert one of the lowest-percentage plays in the game, and that's at least something. Their fourth-quarter onside kick recovery gave them a chance to drive for a game-winning score, which would have seemed unthinkable earlier in the second half.

And it was right after a brutal loss, and Panthers long snapper JJ Jansen was still in his uniform, so he didn't have his spreadsheets in front of him. But Jansen is good with numbers and probabilities at all times, so it's worth asking.

What are the chances of converting an onside kick in an NFL game?

"Around 6 percent," Jansen said with a confidence that suggests he's close based on his research and years of studying special teams play. "It's pretty small, especially with the new rules; it's a disaster."

Teams now have to declare when they're trying to get the ball back after a score, which eliminates the element of surprise. But in the Panthers, trailing 27-22, would have tried it anyway.

But punter Sam Martin sent a bouncing ball toward the Cardinals' line, and they caught a break they needed, as it deflected off a member of the receiving team.

"What we're trying to do is put it in a situation where you're trying to get it to bounce off of somebody, and I think the toughest ball to field is the one that that Sam gave it to him," Jansen said. "Which is it's spinning, it's bouncing, it's not clean, and it's in front of them a little bit where their assignment is to go attack and block.

"And now that they've got to run to the ball, so they're avoiding the ball, can't get the block. That was the best kick you can really have."

Special teamer/linebacker Claudin Cherelus was in the right spot at the right time, dove onto the ball, and he was only thinking one thing at the moment.

"Just give us a chance, secure the ball," Cherelus said. "I had it for a second, I landed on it, but it squirted out, but thank God my teammates run to the ball, so Demani came to help clean it up."

That would be second-year safety Demani Richardson, who came up with the unlikely recovery, on a day when the Panthers answered a 27-3 deficit with improved defense and three unanswered touchdowns.

"It's crazy because we're down by so much and we had a chance at the end," Richardson said. "So it was just still just like that, knowing this team had a fight."

The Panthers practice the play weekly, and Richardson said they've converted it there. But Cherelus laughed and admitted they don't get many reps.

"Getting the bounce, it's tough because you really, honestly don't get many opportunities to work on it," Cherelus said. "You know, it's hard to simulate how it's going to go. The kick, it's unorthodox, you don't know how it's going to fall. You don't know how it's going to play out, how they're going to play, so you just put a lot of faith and just get to the rock, trusting that all 11 are trying to recover."

Again, the chances of the play working were small.

But right now, getting those small things right is what head coach Dave Canales is looking for.

When asked what the percentages are on that play, he didn't offer the certainty of Jansen, admitting, "I have no idea."

But he did like the theme.

"I just know we were going to try every possible thing we could," Canales said. "We had a bunch of nice plays that we practiced. And offensively, defensively, it was our core calls to execute, which they did a good job of at the end, and gave us a chance."

And that chance, however small, is something they'll take considering the way that game started.