Surging Carolina Panthers very much in NFC South title chase

Don’t look now, but Dave Canales’s team has a winning record. The resurgent Carolina Panthers are sitting all alone in second place in the NFC South.

Oct 19, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (4) and wide receiver Xavier Legette (17) celebrate a touchdown in the second quarter against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

It began with a humbling 26-10 loss at Jacksonville in Week 1. It continued with a rough 27-22 setback at Arizona one week later as Dave Canales’s team spotted the Cardinals a 27-3 third-quarter lead and nearly rallied—scoring the final 19 points.

The Carolina Panthers opened some eyes in Week 3 by blanking the visiting Atlanta Falcons, 30-0. It appeared to be a turning point of some kind…which lasted only one week. In their next outing, Canales’s club was blasted at Foxborough, 42-13, by the highly-improved New England Patriots.

Oct 19, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle (5) runs with the ball while being defended by New York Jets defensive lineman Micheal Clemons (72) in the third quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Now suddenly the Panthers have put together a three-game winning streak, the club’s longest since 2021. They come off their first road victory of the season, grinding out a 13-6 win over the hapless New York Jets. And with the Falcons’ 20-10 Sunday night loss, the 4-3 Panthers are sitting in second place in their division. The NFC South-leading Tampa Bay Buccaneers are 5-1 and at Detroit on Monday night.

So what’s ahead? There are upcoming formidable assignments the next two weeks as they host the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, then travel to Green Bay for a Week 9 clash with the Packers. Then it gets interesting. Five of Carolina’s final eight games are against division rivals. The other three are against NFC West powers San Francisco, the Los Angeles Rams, and Seattle.

Here’s the kicker. Canales’ improving team faces the Buccaneers twice in the final three weeks of 2025. The Panthers host the Bucs in Week 16, then head to Raymond James Stadium on either the regular season’s final Saturday or Sunday. It would be a hoot if that’s for all the marbles in the NFC South, and winds up in front of Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth, and NBC Sunday Night Football crew on January 4.

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