Carolina Panthers making steady progress up latest NFL power rankings

The Panthers have won three straight games for the first time since 2021. Dave Canales’s club has been making a consistent climb up an analyst’s power rankings.

Oct 19, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales looks on during warmups prior to the game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

Eric Edholm of NFL.com has once again posted his NFL power rankings, and there’s a team that has slowly but surely made significant progress. Go back to his Week 5 edition. Following the team’s 42-13 loss at New England, Edholm had the Carolina Panthers at the No. 27 spot. It certainly made sense via a 1-3 start, with two of their losses by 16 more points.

In Week 5, the Panthers rallied for a 27-24 victory over the Dolphins. That elevated Carolina to 24th. One Sunday later, Canales’s club outlasted the Cowboys, 30-17. The Panthers jumped up three more spots to 21st. After last week’s 13-6 victory over the New York Jets—the team’s first win on the road this season—Carolina is now sitting at No. 19.

“Bryce Young’s high ankle sprain,” explained Edholm, “and a close win over the Jets don’t have me in the sunniest mood right now, even with Carolina’s three straight wins pushing the team’s record to 4-3. It’s likely going to be Andy Dalton against the Bills this Sunday, and that might not be an awful thing if you remember the spark he gave the Panthers in his first start a year ago.”

Oct 19, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard (30) runs with the ball in the second quarter against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

“They also have a pretty good run game they can lean on,” added Edholm, “with Chuba Hubbard back in the lineup, although Rico Dowdle has kind of stolen the show—and the lead role—for now. Defensively, the Panthers had their best effort against the Jets since they shut out the Falcons in Week 3, but Buffalo will present a tougher test.”

Thanks to those three straight wins, as well as Tampa Bay’s 24-9 loss at Detroit on Monday night, Canales’s 4-3 team is not only all alone in second place in the NFC South, the Panthers are one game behind the Buccaneers in the division standings.

That tougher test is currently No. 10 on Edholm’s list. If Canales’s club can hand the Bills a third straight loss, who knows how high up in the rankings that the Panthers could be this time at this time next week.

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