NFL insider’s narrative for Panthers in playoffs is unfair and off-base

The 14-team postseason field is set. The quest to reach Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara begins with a rematch from the regular season. The 8-9 Carolina Panthers, winners of the NFC South, host Sean McVay’s Los Angeles Rams. Back in Week 13 in Charlotte, Dave Canales’s improving club surprised Matthew Stafford and company, 31-28.

Tyler Sullivan of CBS Sports crafted NFL playoff narratives for each of the 14 clubs. When it came to the newly-crowned NFC South champions, he questioned whether Canales’s team should be taken seriously?

“Carolina essentially won the NFC South by default,” said Sullivan. “They lost their Week 18 matchup against the Buccaneers, which forced them into rooting for the Falcons to win their game against the Saints to trigger a three-way tiebreaker, which they came out the right side of.”

“The Panthers are just the seventh team in NFL history to make the playoffs with a losing record,” added Sullivan. “They also own the third-worst point differential (minus-69) by a division champion since 1970. With all that in mind, are we really expected to look at them as a serious threat this postseason?”

Matthew Stafford vs. Panthers — Nov 30, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) is sacked by Carolina Panthers defensive end Derrick Brown (95) during the fourth quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

Well, why not? It’s interesting that Sullivan failed to acknowledge the aforementioned meeting between the clubs on the final Sunday of November. In that contest, Carolina’s running game rolled up 164 yards, quarterback Bryce Young threw for 206 yards and three scores, and the defense forced Rams’ quarterback Matthew Stafford into three crucial turnovers. All told, it’s odd that Sullivan seems so dismissive of Canales’s chances.

It’s also worth noting that while the Panthers have not been sharp and enter this matchup on a two-game skid, McVay’s club is just 3-3 in its last six contests. Their run defense has been an issue down the stretch, allowing 164, 171, and 219 yards rushing, respectively, in losses to the Panthers, Seahawks, and Falcons.

In the regular-season win over McVay’s team, Carolina played turnover-free football. If Young and the Panthers can do that again, they will indeed be in play for a serious upset.

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