PHILADELPHIA— In 2022, Adam Thielen was on a team that made history: the most wins in a single season—11— by one possession in NFL history. The Minnesota Vikings rode that wave to the top spot in the NFC North that season, and a 13-4 record.

But the year before, things were vastly different.

"Yeah, unfortunately, I've been on both sides of it several times," Thielen couldn't help but laugh, recalling two seasons that helped define his long career.

"The year before that we lost like [eight] in one-score games and I think we had like set the record for most games lost in the last two minutes of the game."

In fact, that 2021 season, the Vikings went 8-9 overall. Eight of the nine losses were by one possession and seven of the eight wins were by one possession. The next season featured the aforementioned record setting 11 wins by one possession.

"So, with that being said, like that's the NFL, stuff happens," Thielen said.

The numbers back him up. Seven of the 12 games through Sunday night in Week 14 ended as one-possession games.

But more than that, it was a poignant reminder as the Carolina Panthers dropped another close one on Sunday, this time a 22-16 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Five of the Panthers first seven losses of the season were blowouts and/or multiple possession games. Their last five games have all been one possession affairs. They've gone 2-3 over those five games, with the three losses all coming in the final two minutes and/or overtime.

"Our expectation is it's going to come down to the finish, which it has now for weeks and we're not going to back off of that expectation," coach Dave Canales said after the loss. He has been preaching "finish" for weeks now, highlighting when the Panthers win, and pointing to it when they lose. As this staff and roster continue to build a program, these last five weeks stand as a testament to the messaging: finish.

"We need to find a way to win these games, find a way to close it out and so that for us, it just, it's always about us," Canales continued. "It's about, it's about making our tackles, making our catches, it's about taking care of the ball. It's about making our kicks, all the things that we can control.

"If we can control the controllable, the plays that are supposed to be made, then it'll give us a lot more success and that has to be the mentality of the group. Like, ok, yes guys, we're going to be in these games, let's find a way to finish, and that's the urgency that we have as a group."

For someone like Thielen who has been on both sides of a one-possession-defined season, he knows there is a path forward.

"It always turns around right when you, if you do things the right way," Thielen said. "You handle the adversity the right way, you just keep going to work, eventually the tides will turn. And you just have to keep finding a way to talk about it. Look over those situations, talk about the situations and then at the end of the day, execute."

The NFL is defined by close games, the best of the best facing off to see who can make the plays to outlast. The Panthers feel they can be that team again. Now it's just a matter of making it happen.

"The expectation is we're going to be in these games ahead or real close to it and we need to find a way to finish," Canales said. "And we need to find a way to just continue to play. Do right longer than the opponent."