Dreaming of a playoff game

[WarPanthers89]

I recently had foot surgery and have had a lot of down time, so I decided to pull out the old gaming console and play the classic game NFL 2k5. It was a nice throwback memory of some great players on our team, and reminded me of the old 03 super bowl team, the 2005 11-5 season (where we got to see Steve Smith explode for close to 220 yards vs the Bears, before being down to our 4th string RB with Smitty getting triple covered against Seattle in the playoffs), and how special it was to just get in to the playoffs and compete.

The last time we played in a playoff game seems like a lifetime ago, and I am jealous of all the teams who will be playing Saturday and Sunday. It seems like my yearly tradition is now rooting for the Saints to lose, and I consider that my post season reason to celebrate. 

In your opinion, how far off do you feel we are to making it to the playoffs? Once you get in, anything can happen, and just getting playoff experience builds a culture in the locker room that is invaluable (The 2013 playoffs really helped us as a young team to be better prepared in 2015). Are we close? are we years away? And how excited will you be to finally see the Panthers in the playoffs when it does finally happen again?