Panthers playoff picture: How Carolina can clinch NFC South title in Week 18

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Panthers playoff picture: How Carolina can clinch NFC South title in Week 18 originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Carolina Panthers haven't been to the NFC playoffs over the past seven seasons. They haven't won the NFC South title since 2015, the season in which they advanced to Super Bowl 50 at Levi's Stadium.

But the Panthers (8-8) have a great opportunity to end those two droughts ahead of Super Bowl 60, which also will be played in the 49ers' home venue in Santa Clara, Calif. Carolina travels to Tampa Bay in Week 18 (Saturday. 4:30 p:m. ET, ESPN/ABC) in what is almost like a division title game.

Here's breaking down how the Panthers can find the means to a more promising end in 2025:

MORE WEEK 18 NFL:

NFL playoff bracket 2026

Here's a look at the current potential initial matchups for this year's playoffs:

Panthers playoff picture

The Panthers are the current No. 4 seed, a game ahead of the second-place Buccaneers. For now, they're facing a rematch against Christian McCaffrey and the 49ers.

Carolina will either get into the playoffs as NFC South division champions and host a wild-card game as a No. 4 or miss the postseason. There's no chance to earn a wild-card spot at 9-8 or 8-9 because the worst the No. 7 Packers can finish is 9-7-1.

Seed	Team	Record
1	Seattle Seahawks*	13-3
2	Chicago Bears*	11-5
3	Philadelphia Eagles*	11-5
4	Carolina Panthers	8-8
5	San Francisco 49ers*	12-4
6	Los Angeles Rams*	11-5
7	Green Bay Packers*	9-6-1
8	Minnesota Vikings - eliminated	8-8
9	Detroit Lions - eliminated	8-8
10	Dallas Cowboys - eliminated	7-8-1
11	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	7-9
12	Atlanta Falcons - eliminated	7-9
13	New Orleans Saints - eliminated	6-10
14	Washington Commanders - eliminated	4-12
15	Arizona Cardinals - eliminated	3-13
16	New York Giants - eliminated	3-13

*=clinched playoff spot

NFC South standings

The Panthers lead both the second-place Buccaneers and eliminated Falcons by a full game. The Saints' late surge has put them two games behind in the NFL's weakest division.

Rank	Team	Record
1	Carolina Panthers	8-8
2	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	7-9
3	Atlanta Falcons - eliminated	7-9
4	New Orleans Saints - eliminated	6-10

Panthers clinching scenarios

The Panthers went into Monday of Week 18 thinking they would need to beat the Buccaneers to win the division. But because of the Falcons' upsetting the Rams on Monday night, they have a new back door way into the NFC South title.

The Panthers would clinch with a win over the Buccaneers, putting them at 9-8 and dropping the Buccaneers to 7-10. They can also tie the Buccaneers and stay ahead, 8-8-1 vs. 7-9-1.

But if the Panthers lose, it would get interesting. They would then have the same record as the Buccaneers (8-9). If the Falcons beat the Saints to make it a three-way tie, the Panthers would have the tiebreaker based on going 3-1 vs. the other two teams, while the Buccaneers would be at 2-2 and the Falcons would be at 1-3.

If the Saints, however beat or tie the Falcons and the Buccaneers beat the Panthers then it would be a two-way tie between the Panthers and Buccaneers, who would both be 8-9. The Buccaneers would win the division then based on the common-games tiebreaker.

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