The Carolina Panthers didn’t even take the field in Week 14, but they still came away with a win - at least in the standings. Thanks to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ loss to the New Orleans Saints, the Panthers now find themselves tied atop the NFC South at 7-6.
That’s right - Carolina is in first place in December. And for fans who’ve been through the ups and downs since the Cam Newton era, that’s not just a stat.
It’s a statement.
This is the first time since 2017 that the Panthers have held a share of the division lead this late in the season. That year, they finished 11-5, made the playoffs as a Wild Card, and looked like a team built for January.
Since then? Not a single winning season.
Not a playoff appearance. Not even a sniff of the top spot in the South this late in the year.
Until now.
And here’s where it gets even more interesting: the Panthers still have two games left against the Bucs - Week 16 in Charlotte and a potential winner-take-all finale in Tampa in Week 18. With the Falcons dropping their eighth game on Sunday, this division is officially a two-team race between Carolina and Tampa Bay.
But before the Panthers can start thinking about division-deciding matchups, they’ve got a critical test in Week 15 against the Saints. That game matters - a lot.
If Carolina wants to keep pace with the Bucs, they’ll need to take care of business in New Orleans. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay hosts Atlanta on a short week for Thursday Night Football.
Two games. Four teams.
And a whole lot of playoff implications on the line.
What makes this Panthers run even more compelling is just how far they’ve come. This team started the season 1-3.
At that point, most folks had already written them off as another rebuilding squad still finding its identity. But the Week 5 win over the Miami Dolphins flipped a switch.
Since then, they’ve looked like a different team.
Rookie quarterback Bryce Young is starting to settle in. He’s not just managing games - he’s making plays and showing flashes of the poise that made him a No. 1 pick.
Head coach Dave Canales, in his first year at the helm, has injected life into this group and is now firmly in the Coach of the Year conversation. And the defense?
It’s been timely and tough, stepping up in critical moments when the team needed it most.
This isn’t a team winning with smoke and mirrors. They’re running the ball effectively, protecting the quarterback, and playing sound, opportunistic defense. It’s not flashy - it’s just good football.
Now the big question: Can the Panthers finish the job?
With three games left - Saints, Bucs, Jags - Carolina controls its own destiny. And while the road ahead won’t be easy, they’ve already proven they can punch above their weight.
The NFC South hasn’t been the strongest division this year, but that doesn’t make the stakes any lower. For a franchise that’s been stuck in the mud for the better part of a decade, this is a real shot at turning the page.
The Panthers are no longer just playing for pride. They’re playing for the playoffs. And if they can keep this momentum rolling, they just might pull off one of the most unexpected division wins in recent memory.