The universe really wants the Panthers to win the NFC South

Thanks to Bijan Robinson’s 239 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns, the Atlanta Falcons beat the Los Angeles Rams and kept the Carolina Panthers’ options open for how they want to win the NFC South title. Option one, as always, is to beat or tie the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday, January 3rd at 4:30 PM ET. Win or tie and they’re in, it is that simple. Option two feels a little more Panthers. They can lose to the Bucs in the Week 18 and still win the NFC South if the Falcons also beat the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, January 4th at 1 PM ET.

Option two ends up with three teams in a three-way tie atop the NFC South standings at 8-9. The first tie breaker is head-to-head record, which the Panthers would win and thus take the division title and the four seed on the NFC side of the playoff bracket.

I don’t know how much Panthers football you’ve been watching this season, but one of this scenarios sounds sillier, more chaotic, and more Panthers than the other. I’ll let you be the judge of which is which. Week after week, the Panthers have been on the cusp of locking this thing up and, week after week, they have found a way to kick the can down the road. Now they can leave their fate in the hands of the Falcons if they want.

Panthers finish 9-8

• If they sweep the Bucs then they’re in.
• If they split with the Bucs AND the Bucs beat the Dolphins then they’re out.
• If they split with the Bucs AND they beat the Seahawks AND the Bucs lose to the Dolphins then they’re in.

Panthers finish 8-8-1 or 9-7-1

• Any scenario where the Panthers finish with a 1-0-1 record against the Bucs sees Carolina win the NFC South and enter the playoffs.
• If they split with the Bucs AND tie the Seahawks AND the Bucs lose to Miami then they are in.
• If they split with the Bucs AND tie the Seahawks AND the Bucs beat Miami then they are out.

Panthers finish 8-9

• If the Bucs sweep then the Panthers are out.
• If they split AND the Bucs beat Miami AND the Atlanta Falcons lose one more game then the Panthers are out
• If they split AND the Falcons beat the Saints then the Panthers are in

NFC South standings

1. Carolina Panthers 8-8
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 7-9
3. Atlanta Falcons 7-9
4. New Orleans Saints 5-10

Current NFC playoff picture

1. Seattle Seahawks 13-3
2. Chicago Bears 11-4
3. Philadelphia Eagles 10-5
4. Carolina Panthers 8-8
5. San Francisco 49ers 11-4
6. Los Angeles Rams 11-4
7. Green Bay Packers 9-6-1
8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 7-9

NFC teams eliminated from playoff contention

• Minnesota Vikings
• Detroit Lions
• Atlanta Falcons
• Arizona Cardinals
• New Orleans Saints
• Washington Commanders...