The Carolina Panthers are sitting at 5-5 right in the thick of the NFC South race, despite the humbling loss to the lowly New Orleans Saints. But you wouldn’t know it from the way national outlets are talking about them.
According to Seth Walder of ESPN, the Panthers have just an 11.9% chance to make the playoffs, a 7.4% chance to win the division, and a laughable 0.2% shot at the Super Bowl. For a team that’s fought its way back from 0-2 and has one of the league’s most improved defenses through 10 games of the campaign, that’s flat out disrespectful.
There are plenty of reasons to be skeptical of the Panthers. After an embarrassing loss to the Saints, Carolina's record dropped to .500, and their point differential fell to minus-45. And the fact that accusations of a complacent approach crept in only makes this worse.
Carolina Panthers could still surprise people despite rollercoaster season so far
Carolina's place in the standings is an aberration compared with its quality. Ejiro Evero's defense struggles mightily against the pass, fueled by a lack of a pass rush. However, the team has earned enough early wins to give them a chance to sneak in later.
I wouldn't bet on it, though.
That might sound reasonable on paper. But this Panthers team has beaten the Green Bay Packers and shut out the Atlanta Falcons, all while overcoming injuries, inconsistent offensive line play, and a demanding early slate.
But more importantly, Carolina has started to develop a clear identity under head coach Dave Canales, something you couldn’t say a year ago.
The Panthers' defense has climbed from dead last a year ago to the top 15 in most major categories. Sure, Bryce Young’s stat lines don’t look too hot. But here’s what does: he’s 4-0 in one-score games this season.
His play in late-game drives, like in wins over Green Bay and the Dallas Cowboys, shows a maturity well beyond his second year. And if the Panthers manage to stay around .500 deep into December, that trait could end up mattering more than any metric ESPN wants to quote.
However, the biggest problem is that Carolina’s remaining schedule is, to put it simply, brutal. Road games against the Falcons, San Francisco 49ers, and Saints. Home ties versus the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks. They also have to play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers twice.
Now that’s a gauntlet, but it's also an opportunity.
If this defense continues trending upward while Young keeps winning tight games, the Panthers might shock every analyst and put the rest of the NFL on notice.