CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) – The Carolina Panthers pulled even with the rival Buccaneers in the NFC South division standings after Tampa Bay lost to the Saints on Sunday afternoon.
Carolina had a Week 14 bye and watched from afar as New Orleans shocked Tampa, 24-20. The loss dropped the Buccaneers’ record to 7-6 — the same as the Panthers’. According to The Athletic’s Joe Person, this is the latest in a season that Carolina has held a share of the division lead since 2017.
Both the Panthers and Buccaneers now have four games to go in the 2025 regular season, including two head-to-head matchups.
Whoever wins the division will be guaranteed a spot in the playoffs, while the other will likely miss the postseason.
For Tampa Bay, its string of four-straight NFC South titles is on the line, while Carolina is looking for its first division crown since 2015. The Panthers have not made the playoffs since they earned a wild card spot in 2017. Only the Jets have a longer playoff drought.
Prior to Week 15, the NFL’s “Playoff Picture” tool gave the Panthers a 30% chance to make the playoffs, while the Buccaneers had a 70% chance. With that said, though, Carolina’s chance rose more than 10% after Tampa’s loss to New Orleans.
The race for the division will likely come down to the two head-to-head matchups. With the two teams tied with four games to go, if either team sweeps the matchups, that team would win the division regardless of what happens in the two non-head-to-head games.
Panthers head coach Dave Canales has said all year — and said it again Monday — that every game is a “championship opportunity.” He suggested that is only more so the case now.
“We try to heighten every opportunity because you’re going to have win games on the road, you’re going to have to win at home,” Canales said. “You’re going to have to win in the elements, you’re going to have to win with crowd noise. There’s all these elements in every game that really does present championship moments.
“It’s easy for me to sell it in these types of situations, especially when we know what’s in front of us,” Canales said. “But the way we do it is, we take one opponent at a time. The goal in 1-0 with a chance to win the division. It’s right here in front of us.”
Next up for the Panthers is a road date against the Saints. After that, Carolina will have its first head-to-head with Tampa Bay in Charlotte. The week after, the Panthers will host the Seahawks, then will wrap up the regular season in Tampa against the Buccaneers.
Panthers coach Dave Canales and quarterback Bryce Young have their team firmly in the playoff race.(Jacob Kupferman | AP)Click here for more Panthers news
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