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ESPN correctly calls Carolina Panthers’ .500 record an ‘aberration’

The good news? The Panthers have equaled last season’s win total with seven games to play. The bad news? One NFL analyst feels that win-loss mark is deceptive.
Russell Baxter|
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
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

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Carolina Panthers

While there’s one more game to play in Week 10, analytics writer Seth Walder of ESPN came out with his 2025 NFL playoff odds tiers for all 32 teams.

The subject matter here is Dave Canales’s Carolina Panthers, who are coming off a listless effort against the New Orleans Saints. The 17-7 home loss on Sunday was shocking considering the club had just shown its mettle in a 16-13 win at Lambeau Field over the first-place Green Bay Packers. Sunday’s clash with New Orleans marked the first game that Canales’s club was favored in all season, and Bryce Young and company failed miserably.

At 5-5, ESPN now gives the Panthers a 7.4 percent chance of dethroning the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC South, and an 11.9 percent chance of reaching the playoffs.

“There are plenty of reasons to be skeptical of the Panthers,” explained Walder, “After losing to the Saints on Sunday, the Panthers' record not only dropped to .500, but their point differential fell to minus-45. Carolina's place in the standings is an aberration compared with its quality—the defense struggles mightily against the pass, fueled by a lack of a pass rush—but the team earned enough early wins for a chance to somehow sneak in later. I wouldn't bet on it, though.”

The point about the pass coverage can’t be underestimated. Saints’ rookie quarterback Tyler Shough threw for 282 yards on Sunday. More than half of that (144 yards) came on three deep passes to wide receiver Chris Olave (62) and tight end Juwan Johnson (52 and 30). And as for that pass rush, it’s near the bottom of the league with only 16 sacks in 10 outings.

All told, the Panthers need to get that bad taste out of their mouth from Sunday’s loss sooner than later. The team is on the road the next two weeks vs. the Falcons and 49ers, before returning home to face the Rams.

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Russell Baxter
RUSSELL BAXTER

Russell S. Baxter has been writing and researching the game of football for more than 40 years, and on numerous platforms. That includes television, as he spent more than two decades at ESPN, and was part of shows that garnered five Emmy Awards. He also spent the 2015 NFL season with Thursday Night Football on CBS/NFLN.