The 7-7 Carolina Panthers lost to the New Orleans Saints today and were once again tied with the 7-7 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Technically, they are in second place in the NFC South. They have multiple paths to an NFC South title from here and still very barely control their own destiny.
NFC South
Obviously, no one wants to win this division. That was my biggest takeaway from last week’s football game. The Buccaneers look tired, the Panthers look like they haven’t figured out how to lace up their shoes every day, and the 4-10 New Orleans Saints are legitimately the best team in the division.
advertise
For the Panthers to win the division, they must at least split the game against the Buccaneers. Most likely, they need to sweep them away.
Split Buccaneers
If the Panthers lose to the Miami Dolphins and the Panthers beat the Seattle Seahawks, the Panthers will make the playoffs if they go 1-1 or 0-0-2 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers over the next three weeks. Interestingly, the Seahawks will likely be the No. 1 seed in the NFC when they face the Panthers. Carolina is 2-0 against the projected No. 1 seed this season. They’re also 0-2 against the New Orleans Saints, so who knows.
Winning record vs. Buccaneers
This is the easiest path forward, and the Panthers’ fate rests in their hands. Win and they advance. Even with a 1-0-1 record against Tampa Bay, which Tampa won and the Panthers lost in Week 17, the Panthers still went 8-8-1 to win the division title. Interestingly, this is the only way to reach a .500 record in a 17-game season.
advertise
fourth seed
Although today’s performance is unlikely but inevitable, the Panthers still have a technical path to climb to the third seed in the NFL playoffs. Doing so would require the Panthers to win and finish with a 10-7 record, as well as a complicated set of results, including the Bears’ tie with the Packers in Week 16, to leapfrog Carolina and move ahead of a host of teams that already have nine wins and are all but guaranteed to make the playoffs.
Like Bryce Young converting a 4th-and-1 on a quarterback sneak, it’s possible.
Wildcard?
With today’s loss and a few other results around the league, the Carolina Panthers have been eliminated from wild card contention. They either win the NFC South or miss the playoffs.
advertise
Panthers’ road to playoffs:
-
10 wins for first place in the NFC South
-
The Panthers finished in first place with an 8-8-1 record and a 1-0-1 record against the Buccaneers.
-
The Panthers finished first with a 9-8 record and two wins over the Buccaneers.
-
The Panthers finished with a 9-8 record, a win over the 8-9 Buccaneers, and a win over the Seahawks for first place.
-
Any two losses to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers would result in elimination from the playoffs.
