ClutchPoints
The Carolina Panthers pulled off a rare NFL Playoffs moment Sunday. Rare that a team loses its chance to clinch an outright division title, yet still win the division the following day. The Atlanta Falcons handed Carolina the NFC South by beating the New Orleans Saints.
Atlanta’s win comes nearly 24 hours after the Panthers fell to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. By tiebreaker rules, however, Carolina wins the division at 8-9 overall.
Head coach Dave Canales now knows what it’s like to lead a division championship run in his second season as head coach. But he dropped a five-word truth bomb now that he knows his team’s postseason fate.
“Everybody’s record is obsolete now,” Canales said via Panthers Charlotte Observer reporter Mike Kaye.
Carolina will more than likely be an overwhelming underdog entering the postseason. The Panthers are the only NFC team entering the seven-team field with a sub .500 record.
Panther fans will still be out in full force at Bank of America Stadium, however. Their team is hosting a playoff game for the first time since the 2015 season — the year Carolina captured the NFC title.
So who will Canales, Bryce Young and company now face?
That remains up in the air. But in all likelihood the NFC South champs will take on someone from the NFC West.
The San Francisco 49ers are one possibility, especially after falling 13-3 to the Seattle Seahawks Saturday. San Francisco’s loss hands Seattle both the NFC West and top seed. A 49ers-Panthers matchup becomes a rematch of the 2013 divisional round game won by S.F.
But the 49ers need the Los Angeles Rams to lose or tie against Arizona to seal the fifth seed. L.A. struggled with the Cardinals in leading 16-13 with under three minutes in the third quarter. But the Cards jumped ahead 20-16 at the 3:51 mark.
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