'Nightmare' schedule could derail Carolina Panthers' division title dreams

Don't expect a legitimate challenge for the NFC South.

Carolina Panthers cornerback Jaycee Horn (8) reacts to collecting an interception as linebacker Thomas Incoom (48) cheers on during the third quarter of an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025 in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars defeated the Panthers 26-10. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Carolina Panthers find themselves in a very surprising position: second in the NFC South. They're somehow just a game out of first place, which seemed impossible after two weeks. But Carolina has rebounded to four wins in five games, and the Buccaneers' loss on Monday shrank the deficit to one game.

Given that neither the Panthers nor the Buccaneers (nor any team in the NFC South) has a positive point differential right now, anything can happen, and the Panthers have two shots at the Buccaneers. Might they be able to keep pace and then steal the title at the very end? One insider doesn't think so.

Panthers unlikely to challenge Tampa Bay for NFC South

Sep 21, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales with quarterback Bryce Young (9) after the game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The NFC South is currently and has been for a while the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' division. Everyone else is aiming to dethrone them, and no one's done it in a few years. The Panthers look suddenly poised to take advantage of a supremely banged-up Bucs squad and steal the division.

However, one insider poured water on this idea. Bleacher Report's Brad Gagnon firmly believes the Bucs, who lead it now, will remain the division leader at the end of the season. Even though Tampa is suffering right now, Gagnon doesn't believe in the other teams.

"Gutted by injuries, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers didn't look remotely like a contender in a Week 7 loss to Detroit," he said before pointing out that the Bucs are in the negatives in point differential despite being 5-2 and haven't even faced the Panthers. "In other words, this is wide open.

"That said, I still don't trust the inconsistent Falcons, while Carolina's remaining schedule is a nightmare in comparison to those other two NFC South contenders," he concluded. The Panthers will likely slip due to a tough slate of games, and then those two matchups with Tampa won't matter much.

That begins in Week 8 with a brutal matchup with the rested Buffalo Bills. Bryce Young is probably not going to play. After that, it doesn't get much easier. The Panthers still have to play the Green Bay Packers (right after Buffalo, no less), Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, and Bucs twice.

Even viewing the Panthers favorably means they probably have about four wins left on the table, and that's if Young doesn't miss a chunk of the season. Nightmare is an accurate word, because all the good vibes that are happening right now could be long gone soon.

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