‘Twas a valiant effort, but a 2022 NFC South crown was simply not to be for the Carolina Panthers. Their Week 17 showdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, one in which they held an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter, ended in a sour 30-24 defeat.
So, as we head into the final week of the regular season, how sour have the power rankers gotten on the Panthers now?
Touchdown Wire
Author: Mark Lane
Rank: 25 (-2)
Take: “There is something poetic about Sam Darnold always getting beat by Tom Brady, a renewal of their days in the AFC East together. While Carolina had an otherwise disastrous season, there is something to be said for the cohesion the team formed after Steve Wilks was promoted to interim coach. The Panthers should at least give the former Arizona Cardinals (2018) coach consideration when looking at Matt Rhule’s permanent successor.”
USA TODAY
Author: Nate Davis
Rank: 18 (+1)
Take: “Their belated drive to steal the NFC South ended Sunday. But shoutout to interim coach Steve Wilks, who’s gone 5-6 (he was 3-13 in one season at Arizona under tough circumstances) for a team that was left for dead after Matt Rhule’s dismissal.”
ESPN
Author: David Newton
Rank: 24 (-3)
Take: “The Panthers fired coach Matt Rhule five games into his third season, traded away their best player in Christian McCaffrey a week later and blew a 14-0 lead in Week 17 with a chance to set up a Week 18 opportunity to win the NFC South. And oh, they began the season with Baker Mayfield as the starting quarterback and finished it with Mayfield a member of the Rams and Sam Darnold, who lost the job in camp, as the starter.”
CBS Sports
Author: Pete Prisco
Rank: 24 (-3)
Take: “They blew a big lead against Tampa Bay to get eliminated from the playoffs. They have to find a quarterback.”
