How the Carolina Panthers could still make things interesting in the NFC South

A win today combined with a loss by Tampa to Buffalo would only put the Panthers one game behind in the loss column.

Dec 29, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) great Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) after a game at Raymond James Stadium. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Today's slate of NFL games might be the best we see all year. In each time slot there will be compelling matchups with playoff implications - not counting the early, early window featuring the Miami Dolphins and Washington Commanders from Spain.

Things will close out tonight with a thrilling matchup between two NFC powerhouses when the 6-3 Detroit Lions visit the 7-2 Philadephia Eagles on Sunday Night Football. In the late afternoon window the two hottest teams in the league meet up when the 7-2 Seattle Seahawks visit the 7-2 Los Angeles Rams.

In the normal early window, the 6-3 Tampa Bay Buccaneers will visit the 6-3 Buffalo Bills. At the same time, the Carolina Panthers will look to rebound from last week's devastating loss against the Atlanta Falcons.

Depending on how things go in those two games, the NFC South could yet get really interesting. Here's Mike Sando at The Athletic breaking it down.

"As for the NFC South part of the equation, I don’t think the Bucs have to worry about the Panthers regardless of which teams win in Week 11. Carolina isn’t a very good team, in my view. Tampa’s health is the key variable."

Dec 29, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen (19) celebrates with wide receiver Xavier Legette (17)after scoring a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first quarter at Raymond James Stadium. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn

Whether he believes in them or not, if the Panthers and the Bills win their matchups today, Carolina will only be one game behind Tampa in the loss column with six more games to play.

Of course, the hard part is that two of those games will come against the Buccaneers, who have totally dominated the Panthers in recent years - winning nine of the last 10 games between these two teams.

Carolina was always going to have to find a way past Tampa, though. While the challenge is significant, if nothing else, the Panthers have proven this season just how much of a week-to-week league this is.

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