5 things the Carolina Panthers should be thankful for this Thanksgiving

It's Thanksgiving, and while the Carolina Panthers don't play a football game, it is a good time to reflect on the season. 12 weeks in, we have a good sense of who this team is and who it is not, and there are a few things we should all be quite thankful for.

A .500 record

It has been ages since the Carolina Panthers entered Week 13 with a record at or above .500. They're likely to lose that status against the Los Angeles Rams this week, but let's not lose sight of the growth. The Panthers were never going to be a playoff contender this year, not a real, genuine one.

But they could've been so much worse. Sure, on an individual basis, you could argue that they should've beaten the Saints, Cardinals, and 49ers and should be 9-3 at this point, but that's ridiculous. They're so much better now than they were last year, already exceeding the win total, and that's something to be thankful for.

Tetairoa McMillan

Tetairoa McMillan was not really viewed as a home run prospect, and he was not viewed as a consensus in the top 10, where the Panthers picked him. If there was a redraft, though, he might not even be available at eight.

The Panthers took a huge risk in drafting McMilllan and passing on a defender, but it's paid off. He might win Rookie of the Year, but regardless, he's the most talented pass-catcher the Panthers have had in a long time.

A shockingly improved defense

If you would have told anyone last year that the Panthers would start 6-6, everyone would've assumed it would have been the result of a good offense and a bad defense. After all, that's what the final 10 games of 2024 produced, and it looked like it was going to take a ton to fix that defense.

But instead, the offense has stagnated (or gotten worse), and the defense has actually been incredibly solid. They almost single-handedly beat the Falcons, Jets, 49ers, Packers, and Saints. Now, the offense needs to improve, but the defense is so far from a huge concern now.

Derrick Brown and Jaycee Horn

The offense probably still needs to figure out its cornerstones, since Bryce Young and Chuba Hubbard may not be them, but the defense has its franchise guys. Both Derrick Brown and Jaycee Horn are having unbelievable years.

Brown has slowed down a bit lately, but he was a legitimate Defensive Player of the Year candidate. Horn is playing like the best corner in football, albeit with a few bumps along the way. They're both locked down, giving the Panthers two of the best defenders in the sport.

Rico Dowdle

Where would we be without Rico Dowdle? The Panthers signed him as mostly an afterthought, and while his usage has dropped alarmingly recently, he's still been an excellent piece of the offense. He carried Carolina to a couple of wins on his own. Had it been Hubbard (or Trevor Etienne when Hubbard got hurt), the Panthers would not have won those games.

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