Panthers earn well-deserved poor grade for blowing it against Saints

Carolina had one task on Sunday at the Superdome. When it was all said and done, the Panthers faded in the fourth quarter and failed to get the job done.

Dec 14, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints place kicker Charlie Smyth (39) celebrates with punter Kai Kroeger (32) after kicking the game winning field goal for a 20-17 win over the Carolina Panthers in the fourth quarter at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images | Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

John Breech of CBS Sports handed out his weekly grades for every team’s performance during the first 15 contests of Week 15. He cut right to the chase when it came to the Carolina Panthers’ surprising 20-17 loss to the New Orleans Saints at the Superdome. Dave Canales’s inconsistent club, off a week ago, has now alternated wins and losses in each of their last eight games. This setback was particularly disappointing, and Breech gave the Panthers a grade of C-minus for their performance.

“The Panthers had a chance to take over sole possession of first place in the NFC South, explained Breech, “and they blew it. Carolina had a chance to put this game away in the fourth quarter, but the offense fell apart. There was a failed 4th-and-1 from the Saints’ 35…(Bryce) Young threw for just 13 yards during the final quarter when the Panthers needed him most.”

Canales’s club owned a 17-7 third-quarter lead after Young and Jalen Coker connected for a 32-yard score, and Ryan Fitzgerald nailed the PAT. The Panthers never scored again, while Kellen Moore’s pesky team responded with 13 unanswered points.

Dec 14, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave (12) scores a touchdown in the fourth quarter against the Carolina Panthers at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images | Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

“Defensively, the Panthers played at a high level for three quarters, before getting torched for 172 yards in the fourth quarter. The only upside for the Panthers (7-7) is that despite the loss, they'll still win the NFC South if they win out.”

Carolina hosts the slumping Tampa Bay Buccaneers this Sunday in a clash of teams with identical win-loss records. Raheem Morris’s club has dropped two straight and five of their last six contests following a 6-2 start. The teams will also meet in Tampa in Week 18.

For the second consecutive Sunday, the Panthers will have a chance to be in first place in the NFC South all by themselves of they can knock off the Bucs. However, it’s hard to know what to expect from one of the league’s most inconsistent teams in 2025.

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