NFL Standings: Can The Carolina Panthers Make The Playoffs?

Can the Carolina Panthers sneak their way into the 2015 NFL post-season?

As the NFL regular season comes to a close, we will be taking a look at several teams’ chances of making the playoffs this year. The team of choice for this piece; the Carolina Panthers.

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We can start off by answering the following question. Can the Panthers make the playoff this season? Yes. What scenario(s) will lead to that? Very simple. Next week’s contest with the hosting Atlanta Falcons will decide the fate for both teams. The winner of that game will take home the NFC South divisional crown, and host a first round match-up against the 6th seeded team in the playoffs.

What works in Carolina’s favor though is that they do not need to necessarily win that game to clinch the division. Should the two teams play to a tie, the Panthers would maintain a better record by virtue of percentage points. Unfortunately for the them, the game will also be taking place at the Georgia Dome, where Matt Ryan has been playing extremely well this season. As opposed to the road (88.7 passer rating), he has put on a clinic at home (107.2 passer rating). And as a whole, the Falcons’s offense has really started to hit its stride the past couple of weeks, with Ryan throwing for over 300 yards in each game, and WR Julio Jones pacing the league in receiving YPG, and in second for receptions (100) and total yardage (1,535).

However, a healthy Cam Newton (should Carolina indeed have that) presents quite the challenge for any defense, especially one that ranks dead last in the league giving up 404.4 yards per game. Should Kelvin Benjamin regain the effectiveness he lost in week 16 against the Cleveland Browns, then it might be a long day for Atlanta.

Nevertheless, the Falcons should be the favorites heading into Sunday. A favorable setting, combined with a red hot offense and an opponent in Carolina that has struggled with injuries and consistency this season, creates a recipe for an Atlanta playoff run.

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