Panthers somehow see only slight dip in power rankings after hideous loss

The Carolina Panthers got beaten by 31 points last week at home by the Buffalo Bills. It was a ridiculously awful performance, bordering on comical at times. This came after the Panthers had surged up NFL Power Rankings by winning three in a row and four of five.

You would understandably expect Carolina, which never got ranked that high on any power rankings, to come crashing down in the rankings. It was really a bad game that is indicative of a bad team, but that's not how one analyst sees it. Somehow, in Bleacher Report's rankings, Carolina only tumbled one spot.

Panthers drop one spot in NFL Power Rankings despite bad outing

Oct 12, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (4) looks on after the game against the Dallas Cowboys at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

Maybe there's some sympathy for the Panthers having had to play without their starting quarterback, Bryce Young. Perhaps the writer felt bad because the Panthers lost almost the entire starting offensive line to injury. It could be that losing badly to a Super Bowl contender just isn't that damaging.

Whatever the reason, the Panthers' loss dropped them from 21 to 22 in the NFL Power Rankings from Bleacher Report. Moe Moton discussed what went wrong and how to look at such a discouraging outcome.

"In Week 8, the Carolina Panthers started backup Andy Dalton in place of Bryce Young, who's nursing an ankle injury, and it's clear the latter operates far more efficiently than the former in this offense, which wasn't clearly the case last year," he said.

"Coming off a bye week, the Buffalo Bills may have beaten Carolina with Young under center anyway, but the score margin would've probably been closer. According to NFL Network's Cameron Wolfe, Young could return to action in Week 9. The Panthers need him to stay in the NFC playoff race," Moton continued.

He is spot on. Without Young, all the good vibes the Panthers built over about a month of football went out the window. Heading to Lambeau this Sunday, the Panthers desperately need Young back if they're going to reverse the trend and continue climbing the power rankings, but even then, they're facing one of the best teams in the NFC. They may continue to slide.

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