The Carolina Panthers continue to be one of, if not the most confusing team of the 2025 campaign.

Coming off a massive upset of the Los Angeles Rams in Week 13 and their bye in Week 14, the 7-6 Panthers had themselves a golden opportunity to seize sole possession of the NFC South this past weekend. All they had to do was beat the 3-10 New Orleans Saints.

But, uh, that didn’t happen.

For the second time this season, the Saints played spoiler to the Panthers—handing them a painful 20-17 loss on Sunday.

So, where has this disappointing defeat left Carolina across the power rankings going into Week 16?

Let’s take a look . . .

USA Today

Rank: 17 (-3)

Author: Nate Davis

Take: Getting swept by the Saints could quite literally ruin their season.

NFL Media

Rank: 18 (-)

Author: Eric Edholm

Take: After watching the Buccaneers blow a 14-point lead on Thursday, shifting all the momentum in Carolina’s direction for the NFC South, the Panthers coughed up that advantage in a frustrating loss at New Orleans. The Panthers have now been swept by the Saints, and they’ll have to take care of business in the Week 16 game against the Bucs with less wiggle room. Bryce Young made some big throws to give Carolina a 17-7 lead early in the third quarter, but the Panthers came up empty on their next three drives, with a turnover on downs and two quick punts. Every time it feels like Young is ready to elevate his game with back-to-back performances, he and his team are seemingly unable to do so. With 11 penalties and late defensive breakdowns, the Panthers didn’t play playoff-caliber football in any facet on Sunday.

ESPN

Rank: 20 (-2)

Author: David Newton

Take (on team’s extension candidate [center Cade Mays]): Carolina gave Mays a one-year restricted free agent tender worth $3.4 million before the season to compete with Austin Corbett for the starting job. Corbett won a close battle, but when he was out because of an MCL injury, Mays took over, and the offense flourished. Mays missed two games because of an ankle injury this season, but he appears to be the answer at center long term. He ranks 13th in pass block win rate this season among 34 qualifying centers.

Pro Football Talk

Rank: 16 (-1)

Author: Mike Florio

Take: The Saints have thrown a Hurricane on the Panthers’ playoff chances.

CBS Sports

Rank: 14 (-)

Author: Pete Prisco

Take: Losing to the Saints is not a good look heading into the key game this week with Tampa Bay. But they control their own destiny.

Sports Illustrated

Rank: 17 (-1)

Author: Conor Orr

Take: In order to complete an improbable run to the postseason, Carolina very likely will have to defeat both Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold head to head—two of its very recent starting quarterbacks who were on the roster at the same time. 

The Athletic

Rank: 17 (-2)

Author: Chad Graff and Josh Kendall

Take (on team’s MVP [RB Rico Dowdle]): With apologies to Derrick Brown, who has been great and whom we sincerely don’t want to make angry, Dowdle has been a spark for this team. Since his breakout in Week 5 against Miami, the Panthers are 6-4 and Dowdle is third in the league in rushing (895 yards). He couldn’t get going Sunday, though, averaging 3.1 yards per carry as Carolina wasted a great chance to take the NFC South lead.

Bleacher Report

Rank: 16 (-)

Author: Brent Sobleski

Take: The Panthers had the red carpet rolled out with the opportunity to saunter toward the top of the NFC South standings. Instead, they allowed the Saints to move the ball 62 yards in 55 seconds to kick the game-winning field goal.

The inconsistency the Panthers have shown is frustrating. Over the course of the team’s last eight games, it has neither won nor lost two straight games.

To make matters worse, Carolina entered Sunday’s contest after having two weeks to prepare for the rival Saints and still couldn’t get the job done.

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