NFL Week 15: 5 Teams That Must Win Keep Playoff Hopes Alive
By Ryan Ratty
Carolina Panthers
The NFC South has been an absolutely calamity in 2014. The Atlanta Falcons and the New Orleans Saints are both 5-8, but the Falcons hold the tiebreaker. The Carolina Panthers, despite being 4-8-1, are in third place. However, Carolina has good news and bad news. The good news is that they just beat down the Saints in Week 14. The bad news is that they will likely be without star quarterback Cam Newton for the rest of the year because of a back injury he suffered in a car accident he had last week.
Week 15 will be huge for the Panthers as they will host the lowly Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In Week 16, the Panthers will host the Cleveland Browns. In the last week of the season, the Panthers will go on the road to play the Falcons. That game will have huge playoff implications for the Panthers, but that game will only matter if the Panthers keep on winning. It is up to backup quarterback Derek Anderson to keep their streak alive.
Next: Dallas Cowboys