Who would've known, but the Carolina Panthers are somehow in contention for the NFC South title after previously firing head coach Matt Rhule earlier in the season. After Saturday's dominant win over the Detroit Lions, the Panthers now sit at 6-9 on the season and as Adam Schefter pointed out, the team can actually win the division if they beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints to close out the campaign. Wild.
“Carolina — which fired HC Matt Rhule earlier in the season — will win the NFC South if it wins at Tampa and at New Orleans in the regular season’s final two weeks. Interim HC Steve Wilks leading the charge.”
The NFC South is a nightmare. The Bucs sit in first place at 6-8. Not one team has a record over .500. Do the Panthers really deserve to be in the playoffs? Probably not. but, if Steve Wilks can lead them to timely victories over divisional foes like Tampa and New Orleans, they certainly deserve to take the crown.
Sam Darnold went 15 for 22 on Saturday for 250 yards and one touchdown. The majority of Carolina's offense came on the ground, though. D'Onta Foreman and Chuba Hubbard combined for a mind-boggling 190 yards rushing. Hubbard ran for 10.4 yards per carry. They tore apart the Lions' defense, running for 320 yards.
That's now three wins in their last four. The Panthers travel to Florida to face TB12 and the Buccaneers on New Year's Day. Time to buckle down. Whether they take the NFC South or not, Wilks definitely deserves a look as the full-time HC. He's done a fine job.
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