With a chance to take control of the NFC South, the Carolina Panthers let a golden opportunity slip through their fingers on Sunday. A win over the New Orleans Saints would’ve set the stage for Carolina to clinch its first division title since 2015 in their next outing. Instead, the Panthers came up short, falling 20-17, and now find themselves locked in a tie with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers atop the division heading into a pivotal Week 16 matchup.
After the loss, Panthers head coach Dave Canales didn’t sugarcoat the mood in the locker room.
“There’s a lot of guys who are really disappointed because of the missed opportunity that we had,” Canales said. “At the same time, there’s a lot of great leaders in that locker room that understand we got a lot of football in front of us.”
That balance - between frustration and focus - is where Carolina sits right now. The Panthers know they let one get away, but they also know the season is still very much in their hands.
Canales emphasized the need to move on quickly, clean up the mistakes, and get ready for what’s next. And what’s next is a high-stakes showdown with Tampa Bay that could ultimately decide the division.
Just two weeks ago, Carolina pulled off one of the biggest surprises of the season, knocking off the NFC-leading Los Angeles Rams 31-28. In that game, Bryce Young looked every bit like the franchise quarterback the Panthers hoped for when they drafted him. With just over six minutes to play, Young hit Tetairoa McMillan for a 43-yard touchdown, capping off another clutch fourth-quarter drive - his fifth game-winning or go-ahead series of the season.
But against New Orleans, that late-game magic never materialized.
Early on, it looked like Young and the Panthers were in control. After he connected with rookie wideout Jalen Coker on a 32-yard touchdown, Carolina had scored on three of its first four possessions and led 17-7 midway through the third quarter. At that point, Young was 10-of-15 for 140 yards with a touchdown and no turnovers - efficient, poised, and in rhythm.
Then the Saints adjusted.
Over the next three drives, New Orleans turned up the pressure. They only logged one sack, but they forced Young to scramble four times and disrupted the timing of Carolina’s offense. Young finished 15-of-24 for 163 yards and a touchdown, adding 49 yards on the ground, but the Panthers couldn’t find the end zone again.
One of the key moments came late in the third quarter. After the Saints cut the lead to 17-10, Carolina mounted a promising drive.
Running back Rico Dowdle converted a fourth-and-1 at the Panthers’ 42, and Young kept things moving with a 10-yard scramble on third-and-9. But the drive stalled at the New Orleans 35-yard line.
Faced with another fourth-and-short, Canales opted to keep the offense on the field rather than attempt a 53-yard field goal. He handed the ball to Chuba Hubbard - and the Saints stuffed it.
“With inches to go, I felt confident in our guys,” Canales said. “I wanted to give Chuba the ball on that play, make that first down and continue that drive.
So made that decision. It didn’t work out for us.”
The Panthers defense answered with a clutch fourth-down stop of its own, halting a Saints drive at the Carolina 23 with just under seven minutes to play. But the offense couldn't capitalize.
Over their final two possessions, the Panthers managed just one first down and punted twice. Meanwhile, the Saints put up 10 unanswered points, including the game-winner - a 47-yard field goal from Charlie Smyth with two seconds left.
That final drive was set up by a costly penalty. With the Saints out of timeouts and scrambling to get into field goal range, quarterback Tyler Shough took off for a 4-yard gain to the Carolina 44.
Time looked like it was about to expire - until safety Lathan Ransom was flagged for unnecessary roughness. The 15-yard penalty stopped the clock and moved the Saints into comfortable kicking range.
It was one of 11 penalties committed by Carolina, totaling 103 yards - a number that loomed large in a game decided by three points.
“We pride ourselves in playing smart,” Young said afterward. “A lot of penalty yards.
As a leader, I take accountability for that. We want to make sure that we’re playing clean, we’re playing smart.”
Young, as he’s done all season, took the loss on his shoulders. He praised the Saints for their execution but made it clear that Carolina has to be sharper - especially in crunch time.
“We are a team who prided ourselves on finish,” Young said. “Didn’t get that done today.
It’s not going to feel good for 24 hours. We’re going to go back and grow from it and then turn the page.”
Now, all eyes turn to Sunday. The Panthers and Buccaneers, both sitting at 7-7, will meet at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte with the division lead on the line. And with a rematch scheduled for Week 18 in Tampa, this upcoming game could be the first of two decisive chapters in the NFC South race.
“Just want to go one and O,” Young said. “That’s always the mindset.”
Between now and the final Sunday of the regular season, the Panthers will also face the Seattle Seahawks, while Tampa Bay will take on the Miami Dolphins. But first things first - Carolina has to bounce back, regroup, and find a way to finish. Because in December, that’s what separates playoff teams from the rest.