The Carolina Panthers stumbled over the finishing line to make the playoffs for the first time since 2017. They are NFC South champions for the first time in a decade. Although positive, nobody is giving them a legitimate shot at going any further than the wild-card round.
Head coach Dave Canales' squad is welcoming the Los Angeles Rams to Bank of America Stadium for the second time this season. They got the better of them in the first meeting, but almost every expert and sportsbook is expecting a completely different result this time around.
And that's just the way Carolina likes it.
Marcus Spears believes Carolina Panthers have no chance of advancing in the playoffs
Marcus Spears is among them. The former defensive tackle-turned-ESPN analyst almost mocked the Panthers for making the playoffs. He thought getting there by default gives them no chance. It'll be a good experience, but he's expecting absolutely nothing more.
"The Panthers are like a piece of candy that you throw out onto the schoolyard, and you find it on the concrete. I got some candy, okay, but it's not supposed to be out there. The reality is the reality. This team was 8-9. They benefited from a division that was awful. They couldn't beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. So, what should I believe that they could do once they get into the playoffs? Kudos to the Panthers, they're gonna be in the playoffs, and everybody's gonna watch them because it's the playoffs, but they're not gonna win nothing."Marcus Spears via ESPN
"The reality is the reality. This team is 8-9. ... They ain't gonna win nothing."
— ESPN (@espn) January 5, 2026
—Marcus Spears on the Panthers' chances in the playoffs 😳 pic.twitter.com/Jvp9pMKx4F
That may be the case. The Panthers were in a bad division, and one could argue that they are extremely fortunate to be in the knockout rounds, relying on the Atlanta Falcons to finally get over the hump when it was out of their hands.
However, they got there. And everyone resets to 0-0 now.
The Panthers have spent the entire season writing people off. Nobody thought they would beat the Green Bay Packers. Nobody thought they would knock off the Rams. Nobody thought they would topple the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in their first meeting. They did it anyway, and Carolina is now playing with house money, under no pressure at all.
Bank of America Stadium will be electric after being starved of playoff football for so long. It may end at the first hurdle, but anyone who thinks the Panthers are undeserving of being on the same field as the Rams hasn't been paying close enough attention.
They are making encouraging strides. They fear nothing, and they are going to savor every moment with all the heat on Sean McVay's squad.
The Rams are expected to easily dispose of Carolina en route to another Super Bowl. But don't be surprised if this contest is much closer than people think.