There are no moral victories in professional sports. However the Carolina Panthers’ ability to take the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs down to the wire on Sunday before losing 30-27 on a walk-off field goal has first-year coach Dave Canales excited about the direction of his team.

After benching him two weeks into the campaign, Canales reinserted Young into the starting lineup in place of an injured Andy Dalton in Week 8. Since then, Canales has taken his decision under center week by week— refusing to commit to either quarterback following each game.

The Panthers lost their rookie tight end to a scary neck injury after he was flipped upside down and landed on his head in Week 12.