The Carolina Panthers Are Officially On Fraud Watch

Carolina is 3-4, but two of the Panthers' three wins came against backup quarterbacks. It's fair to start asking how much we should believe in this team.

Oct 25, 2026; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales looks on before the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

I think it's time to have an uncomfortable conversation about the Carolina Panthers.

At 3-4, I could probably talk myself into feeling OK about where they are. That Detroit win still looks pretty good. The problem is I started looking at the other two wins, and that's where this gets interesting.

Carolina beat Atlanta 34-3 with Cooper Rush starting at quarterback. They beat Philadelphia 25-14 with Tanner McKee starting in place of Jalen Hurts. The Lions are the only team the Panthers have beaten this season with its regular starting quarterback on the field.

So yeah, I'm starting to wonder if this team is actually any good.

That Detroit Win Is Doing a Lot of Work

Oct 29, 2026; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) rushes the ball against the Green Bay Packers in the second half at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

I keep coming back to Detroit because that's the game that makes me hesitate to completely write Carolina off. The Panthers were good that night. They put up 32 points and beat a Lions team that I thought would give them all they could handle.

But what have we seen since then? Carolina beat an Eagles team playing without Jalen Hurts, then got blown out at home by Tampa Bay and lost at Green Bay. That's not exactly helping the argument that Detroit was the start of something.

Maybe the Panthers really are somewhere in the middle. I'm just not ready to give them the benefit of the doubt anymore.

Denver Would Be a Good Place to Start

Green Bay Packers defensive end Lukas van Ness (90) pursues Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard (30) on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers won the game, 27-19. Tork Mason/Green Bay Press-Gazette | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The good thing about putting Carolina on fraud watch is they can get themselves off it. Denver comes to Charlotte next, and that's another chance for the Panthers to show me Detroit wasn't just one really good night.

I have no idea what to expect from them anymore. I thought I had a pretty good feel for this team after Detroit. I definitely don't now. That's what makes Denver interesting to me. I want to see which Panthers team shows up.

The one that beat Detroit can win that game. The one I've watched the last two weeks probably isn't going to. Maybe I'll feel completely different about them next week.

Right now, I don't.