O'Brien Schofield Says The Panthers Didn't Take Their First Loss Well

Carolina’s undefeated season came to an end at the hands of the Falcons, who the Panthers had destroyed just two weeks ago. The Panthers yukked it up in the closing stages of that first meeting, posing for group photos on the sidelines before the game was even over. This time out, according to Atlanta LB O’Brien Schofield, the Panthers were sore losers.

“We saw what happened, the whole team picture thing on the sideline. There’s a better way to win. There’s a better way to show class if you get a victory,” Schofield said. “They got off the field pretty fast today. It wasn’t like it was in Carolina.”

Schofield said Cam Newton hustled off the field without talking to anyone, save a quick word with Matt Ryan.

Schofield told reporters that a team that handles itself well in wins can also acquit itself well after losses, and the Panthers are not that team.

“If you handle yourself with class, you don’t have to worry about that,” Schofield said. “But you see, they didn’t handle themselves with class the first time we played [when Carolina won 38-0]. So I didn’t care about how they were feeling after this game. I was ‘dabbing’ all in their faces.”

Schofield did indeed dab on the field, as you can see in the photo up top. So did Julio Jones, who provided the meat for Josh Norman’s first big beef this season, after scoring a touchdown. So did owner Arthur Blank, for god’s sake. (The dab is dead. It has been dead for a month. These are zombie dabs. But I’m glad no one told Andy Reid.)

The Falcons’ slim playoff hopes perished with Minnesota’s win last night, so this—for pride—was their biggest game of the season. For Schofield, the chance to shout “scoreboard” was even more important than the standings.

“Charles Johnson came up to me and said, ‘Who are you?’ and I said to him: ‘I’m a Super Bowl champ and a two-time NFC Champ. Who are you?’” said Schofield, formerly with the Seattle Seahawks. “They’re trying to tell me, ‘You’re going to be at home while we’re in the playoffs.’ I don’t care.”