An okay result amid a stretch of good ones, but the draw at St James' Park didn't feel like the end of anything.
As the days passed, the narrative around Wigan shifted, highlighting their recent struggles and how supporters and critics alike began to question their resilience.
Their next two league fixtures were both away from home.
Bournemouth came first on 17 December, followed by Sheffield United, meaning Wigan were about to play three consecutive Premier League matches on the road.
That alone would have been a demanding stretch, but the timing made it worse.
Wigan had taken just two points from their previous three matches, and for a side that was leading a league as prestigious as the Premier League, questions and even expectations were bound to arise.
Television analysts debated whether Wigan's incredible start had finally reached its natural limit.
