Panthers claim NFC South, crash playoffs with losing record again

For the first time in a decade, the Carolina Panthers are NFC South champions. For the first time in NFL history, the Panthers are the only franchise to make the postseason with a losing record twice.

Carolina learned its fate on Sunday when the Atlanta Falcons defeated the New Orleans Saints, sparing the Panthers due to a three-way tiebreaker among 8-9 teams. The Buccaneers beat the Panthers on Saturday and Atlanta decided the division title among the three teams atop the NFC South, which went to Carolina by virtue of the best head-to-head record.

"The neighborhood is crazy. We were yelling from our couch, as a family," Canales said of his experience Sunday as a Falcons' fan. "Walked outside where we normally ride bikes and walk the dogs and there were just neighbors in the front yards. Really excited."

One of 14 teams who have more football to play beyond the regular season, Panthers head coach Dave Canales said Sunday night he hasn't heard when Carolina might play next weekend. But he'll have that information before the end of the night and begin plotting his first playoff plan as a head coach after turning around a franchise that went 5-12 last season and 2-15 in 2023 before he was hired.

"We will go right back to work," Canales said.

The Panthers also made the playoffs with a losing record -- 7-8-1 -- in 2014. They followed that up with a 15-1 mark in 2015, their last division championship season.

Carolina has only reached the playoff once since then, following an 11-5, second-place finish in 2017.

But Canales said record is insignificant starting Monday, when every playoff team is on equal footing at 0-0. As division champions, the Panthers will host an NFC wild-card game against the Los Angeles Rams or San Francisco 49ers.

"The familiarity gives a level of confidence in terms of what we're up against," he said.

Carolina played the 49ers and Rams in consecutive weeks, losing at San Francisco (20-9) on Nov. 24 and beating the Rams (31-28) six days later.

--Field Level Media