Carolina Panthers' power rankings spot rises along with playoff odds

The Carolina Panthers still face an uphill battle to get to the playoffs. They either need to beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the road in Week 18, or they need to beat the Seattle Seahawks at home and have the Miami Dolphins, led by Quinn Ewers, win at home vs. the Bucs.

For good reason, all eyes are on Week 18. And for now, the vibes in Carolina are high, as is their place in the NFL Power Rankings and their current NFC South odds. Everything's a bit higher after this week's monumental win.

Carolina Panthers surge in power rankings after clutch win vs. Bucs

Bryce Young, Tetairoa McMilla — Dec 21, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (4) and quarterback Bryce Young (9) celebrate after a play during the second half against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

The Carolina Panthers are 8-6, meaning they've officially won more games this year than in 2023 and 2024 combined. They're also in first place, and their NFC South title odds have skyrocketed.

From somewhere in the 300s, Carolina now sits at +170 to win it. The Buccaneers are the favorites still, but Carolina's surging.

And in Sportsnaut's NFL Power Rankings, the Panthers have seen a slight bump from 16 to 15. Last week, they dropped only a little bit, but they're back up.

"The Carolina Panthers are so much more deserving of a playoff berth and division crown than Tampa Bay. It has not often been pretty this season, especially during that 1-3 start," Matt Johnson wrote.

On the one hand, the Panthers are clearly on the rise, and the Buccaneers are on the decline. It feels inevitable that the Panthers will claim this division sooner or later, and there's a good chance that happens this season.

"Since the start of October, Carolina boasts a 7-4 record and has stepped up in big games against the Packers, Rams, and now the Buccaneers," Johnson continued.

He concluded, "The Panthers control their destiny, and it would be a feel-good story if Bryce Young sweeps Tampa Bay in Week 18 to win himself and the team NFC South champion hats."

Dec 21, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Jalen Coker (18) catches the ball as Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Benjamin Morrison (21) defends in the fourth quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The alternative route is much harder to envision coming to fruition. For one thing, the alternating wins and losses streak suggests the Panthers will lose to the Seahawks. So do the odds, as Carolina is +300 to win per FanDuel.

Even if they do pull off another stunning upset, the Buccaneers are -250 to win, so it would still leave Week 18 as the deciding game.

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