Don’t look now, but the Carolina Panthers might host a playoff game in three weeks.
The Panthers steamrolled the Lions 37-23 today, keeping their hopes of winning the NFC South alive. With a very big game looming next week against the Buccaneers, the Panthers just need to keep winning and they’ll clinch the division title.
For the Lions, the loss was a huge disappointment: After starting 1-6, they had clawed their way back into the wild card race by winning six of their last seven. But today’s loss makes it very unlikely that Detroit can make the playoffs.
The Panthers’ running game was dominant, with running backs Chuba Hubbard and D’Onta Foreman both topping 100 rushing yards before halftime. And Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold has been surprisingly effective in the last month.
It’s to the credit of Panthers interim head coach Steve Wilks that he has this team in contention: When the Panthers fired coach Matt Rhule and traded running back Christian McCaffrey, many people thought they were tanking on the season. Instead, they’re two wins away from a playoff game in Carolina.
