It’s a franchise that has won three straight division titles, and has made a pair of Super Bowl appearances. The Carolina Panthers, who first took the field in 1995 and is in the midst of its 31st NFL campaign, has never experienced back-to-back winning campaigns.
Somewhat symbolically, the 2025 Panthers are in the midst of a stretch in which the team has not won back-to-back games since mid-October. That’s when the team edged the Dallas Cowboys, 30-27, in Week 6, then got their first road victory of the season by knocking off the Jets, 13-6.
Nov 9, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) is sacked as New Orleans Saints defensive end Chase Young (99) defends during the second quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
Counting that win over Aaron Glenn’s club, Carolina has alternated wins and losses in eight consecutive contests. The victory over the Jets saw the Panthers (minus Bryce Young) routed at home by the Bills. That was followed by a thrilling win over the Packers at Lambeau Field. Canales’s club returned home, only to lay an egg against the Saints.
In Week 11, the Panthers rallied for a 30-27 overtime win at Atlanta. That was followed by a Monday night setback at San Francisco, 20-9.
Nov 30, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) is sacked by Carolina Panthers defensive end Derrick Brown (95) during the fourth quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images
Then came the eye-opening 31-28 upset of the Los Angeles Rams in Week 13 at Charlotte. The Panthers went into their off-week at 7-6 and took the field on Sunday with a half-game lead over the 7-7 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Canales’s club squandered a 17-7 third-quarter lead and fell at the Superdome, 20-17.
In their four wins during this stretch, the Panthers have scored a combined 90 points and the offense reached the end zone nine times. In their four losses, the team has totaled less than half of that point total (42), and Canales’s squad has scored just five offensive touchdowns.
Just how long this current trend continues is anyone’s guess. But here’s a positive spin on the Panthers’ recent inconsistency. If the team does alternate stays on course with its up-and-down play, it appears that Canales’s squad will close out the season by beating the Buccaneers this Sunday at Charlotte, losing to the visiting Seahawks in Week 17, then finishing with a rare victory at Tampa on the final weekend of the regular season.
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