The Carolina Panthers were given one more possible road to the playoffs on Monday.
The Atlanta Falcons upet the Los Angeles Rams, 27-24, on Monday Night Football in Atlanta. The Falcons jumped out to a 21-0 lead by halftime, but the Rams clawed their way back in the second half, eventually tying the game late in the fourth quarter on a touchdown pass from quarterback Matthew Stafford to wide receiver Puka Nacua.
The Falcons on the ensuing drive set up kicker Zane Gonzales for the game winning field goal with less than 30 seconds left. The Rams were unable to drive down the field to tie the game, sealing the game for Atlanta.
How does this affect the Panthers’ playoff hopes?
The Panthers now have two possible roads to win the NFC South and secure the final playoff spot in the NFC.
The easiest of the two paths for the Panthers is to defeat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday at Raymond James Stadium. The Panthers defeated the Bucs two weeks earlier at home 23-20. The win would give Carolina not only a season-sweep of the Bucs, but a two-game advantage over Tampa with no games remaining, securing the division.
Carolina nearly secured the division in Week 17. The Buccaneers dropped their matchup against the Miami Dolphins, 20-17, but Carolina sputtered and lost to the Seahawks, 27-10, setting up the chaotic playoff scenario.
The second scenario requires help from a division rival.
If the Panthers lose on Saturday, they would need the Falcons to defeat the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. If that were to happen, the Panthers would win the division.
While all three teams would have a 8-9 record if the second scenario plays out, Carolina would hold the tie-breaker over Tampa and Atlanta due to a head-to-head records against each other.
Here is how the head-to-head records would shake out if scenario two happens:
- Panthers: 3-1 vs. Bucs and Falcons.
- Bucs: 2-2 vs. Panthers and Falcons.
- Falcons: 1-3 vs. Panthers and Bucs.
The Panthers kick off against the Bucs at 4:30 on Saturday, while the Falcons kick off against the Saints at 1 p.m. on Sunday.