RSS Panthers Team Notes

[Carolina Panthers]

The Scratching Post: 12/22-12/26

Greetings, internet users. Welcome to The Scratching Post.

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Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/the-scratching-post/57402/the-scratching-post-12-22-12-26

 

[Carolina Panthers]

The Carolina Panthers have one Pro Bowler

The NFL released the Pro Bowl rosters for the 2025 season, and the Carolina Panthers have a single representative. That representative: Jaycee Horn.

Horn has a career high five interceptions this season, tied for second in the NFL and one off the league lead of six, currently held by the Bears’ Kevin Byard. Opposing quarterbacks are only completing 46.6% of their passes against him and have a 70.9 passer rating on balls thrown his way. He’s had a few up and down moments, but he’s still one of the better corners in the NFL, and he made a strong case for himself with two interceptions on Monday Night Football against the 49ers.

The Panthers had a few other players finish in the top ten in fan voting, but none of them got enough votes from the players or coaches to make the cut.

The Panthers are one of several teams with a single Pro Bowl representative, including notable groups like the Packers, and Jaguars. But at least they got some representation. The Jets, Vikings, and Saints got no Pro Bowl selections. It’s the second straight year that the Saints haven’t had a single Pro Bowler. Poor Saints.

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...441/the-carolina-panthers-have-one-pro-bowler

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Panthers Reacts Survey Week 17: Confidence in a playoff run?

The Carolina Panthers have spent the month of December playing with all of our feelings. Losing to the New Orleans Saints then beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers has left them knocking on the door of the playoffs without giving us a whole lot of reason to believe that they would do anything if they were let in.

Still, as we discussed yesterday, just being this close is kind of the point this season. The team looks both deeply flawed and ahead of schedule. They’re night and day different from last season without having actually answered any of their big questions from last season, and that can’t be solely attributable to Derrick Brown and Tetairoa McMillan’s on field impacts. Right?

Regardless, all we’re asking this week is our standard confidence question. Remember that this is asked with a longer term view of the franchise in mind. Take it as a referendum on the leadership and practices of general manager Dan Morgan and Dave Canales moreso than a question of how you feel about Bryce Young at this exact moment.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Panthers fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...ts-survey-week-17-confidence-in-a-playoff-run

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Carolina Panthers 2026 NFL Draft Prospect Profile: Matayo Uiagalelei

Even though the 2025 NFL season just started, it’s never too early to look ahead toward the 2026 NFL Draft. This weekly series will take a closer look at some of the prospects the Carolina Panthers could select in the 2026 iteration of the Draft. In this series, we’ll only be looking at prospects the Panthers could seriously consider. This week our profile will focus on Oregon Ducks edge defender Matayo Uiagalelei.

Bio​

Uiagalelei, younger brother of former Clemson quarterback DJ, was a five star prospect coming out of a highly touted California high school. Matayo was a two way player in high school, splitting time between edge defender and tight end. He showed flashes of dominance as a true freshman, notching a couple sacks, and really blossomed as a pass rusher his sophomore season, finishing with a Big 10 leading 10.5 sacks. Uiagalelei cooled off a bit this season, only notching five sacks so far. Still, the dominant speed rush is still there in flashes. We’ll see how he looks as his Ducks continue their trek through the College Football Playoff.

Strengths/Weaknesses​

Uiagalelei has ideal size for an edge defender at 6’5” and 275 lbs. His athleticism is also on full display when you watch him play. His elite first step puts tackles at an immediate disadvantage in pass protection, and his lateral agility allows him to make stops on the backside of running plays. Mentally, he’s got everything defensive coordinators love: natural instincts, a nasty demeanor, and edge discipline. He also has experience in multiple fronts and gaps, showing the ability to line up as a stand up OLB or a DE in a three point stance.

Uiagalelei’s main struggle seems to be his play strength. He doesn’t have very many counter moves, instead relying on pure athleticism to win against the pass. He also is occasionally pushed off the line by bigger, stronger linemen. He will definitely need to add functional strength to his frame in order to be a three down player at the next level.

Projection​

Uiagalelei will likely be a fringe first rounder come April depending on his performance in the CFP and the Combine. If he completely blows the physicals out of the water at the Combine, I’d imagine he jumps into the middle of the first. While he has shown some improvement against the run this season, teams will likely still view him as a pass rush specialist. He might be able to contribute on special teams, but his tackling technique is not super consistent.

The Panthers invested heavily in defensive linemen and edge defenders last offseason, but they could continue to stockpile talent there. If Ejiro Evero returns as defensive coordinator, Uiagalelei has the height/weight combination that Evero likes in his edges. The Panthers did spend a day two pick on a similar player in Princely Umanmielen, but Uiagalelei has more size. The defense can’t seem to get to the quarterback consistently, so a player with the first step and bend Uiagalelei has could definitely help the pass rush.

What do you think, Panthers fans? If Matayo Uiagalelei is available when the Panthers select in the 2026 NFL Draft, should they take him? Sound off in the comments!

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...-nfl-draft-prospect-profile-matayo-uiagalelei

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Panthers vs Buccaneers game review: When it works, it works

If it was not already made clear, the only thing to understand about the Carolina Panthers is that actually “understanding” them is futile. They are an enigma. The only games they win are the ones they are projected to lose, and can’t sniff a win when they are favored.

It’s not rocket science, though. The Panthers found consistent execution and because of that they won the football game. While that may be obvious, what gets lost in the conversation is what they were executing. By that I mean, what game plan they were trying to execute.

For as much success as the Panthers have had at times rushing the football, Sunday’s win versus the Buccaneers was due to the efficiency of the passing game. Contrast this with another Panthers game with a similar game plan but different outcome: versus the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football. For this week’s game review, let’s see where the differences were between the two contests.

Production versus the blitz​

Both opponents had bottom of the barrel pass rushes and exploitable secondary units. Both teams need to blitz in order to find any pressure on the quarterback and a game plan emphasizing running into that brick wall likely won’t get you far.

Against the 49ers, the Panthers offense had one of the least productive days versus the blitz of any team all season.

The 49ers blitzed Bryce Young at a 29.4% rate, limiting him to 3/8 for 14 yards and 2 interceptions on blitzes.

The Panthers' -15.1 EPA against the blitz were the 4th-fewest by any team in a game this season.

Powered by @awscloud

— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) November 25, 2025

Versus the Buccaneers, Young was 6 of 11 for 88 yards and touchdown versus the blitz. That’s 7 yards more per attempt – a jarring difference.

While Bryce Young completed 17 of 21 attempts (81.0%) against zone coverage for 118 yards, his two touchdown passes came against man coverage, per @NextGenStats

Young was also 6 of 11 for 88 yards and a touchdown with a 111.2 passer rating against the blitz. pic.twitter.com/exgVCOievg

— Henry McKenna (@henrycmckenna) December 22, 2025

Third down efficiency​

Both the teams scored 20 points against the Panthers and had well over 30 minutes time of possession. The difference? Sans one drop by Xavier Legette, the receivers caught the balls thrown their way while the quarterback made the right decisions and kept the ball out harm’s way. They scored points, extended drives and otherwise allowed the team to stay in the game.

Against the 49ers, the Panthers were 1-7 on 3rd down, where were drops like this ended drives:

Tetairoa McMillan is the only viable read on 3rd and 2, Bryce Young delivers an accurate throw and the rookie just drops it

Exhibit A of #Panthers not converting first down opportunities to extend drives pic.twitter.com/XifHFY1QX2

— Ricky Raines (@rickyboboddy) November 25, 2025

While against the Buccaneers, the Panthers were 6-12 and were making plays like this on 3rd down:

Tetairoa McMillan with a spot route as the No. 3 WR. Nice job of Bryce Young to throw to the spot in the hook-curl/flat void to convert this 3rd down on the first drive. #Panthers pic.twitter.com/TVyguCBuPj

— Jared Feinberg (@Jared_NFLDraft) December 22, 2025

DIME

: FOX pic.twitter.com/zmvUe7R99G

— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) December 21, 2025

Turnovers​

Followers of the Panthers don’t need me to tell you that Dave Canales cares deeply about taking care of the football. Games like the two we’re comparing today pinpoint exactly why.

Against the 49ers, when Young scrambled around in the red zone and flung a pass to a tight end in the back of the endzone, it was a turnover.

Ji'Ayir Brown takes it right back for San Francisco!

CARvsSF on ESPN/ABC
Stream on @NFLPlus and ESPN App pic.twitter.com/980nPRdSdm

— NFL (@NFL) November 25, 2025

Against the Buccaneers, it was a vintage Alabama Young and put 6 points on the board.

Bryce Young scrambles and finds Ja'Tavion Sanders for the score!

: FOX pic.twitter.com/jqqpwXEiCE

— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) December 21, 2025

For all the consternation around the decision the Panthers made to attack the 49ers pass defense, any level of scrutiny is not being applied to the same decision being made versus the Buccaneers. The Panthers have now shown that their passing offense can be legit and take down contending teams when it works. When players are missing their assignments, dropping passes or throwing ill-advised ducks into a waiting defenders arms… different story.

The Panthers have 2 more regular season games left to prove which version of this team they truly are.

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...buccaneers-game-review-when-it-works-it-works

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Open thread and fan discussion for Christmas Day

Holiday football is here again. The Panthers have given us the best gifts of all this season by both being in first place in the NFC South and not playing today.

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There are, however, a handful of other games to watch today.

The Dallas Cowboys are visiting the Washington Commanders at 1 PM ET and the Detroit Lions are visiting the Minnesota Vikings at 4:30 PM ET, all on Netflix, of all places. That will be followed by the Denver Broncos taking on the Kansas City Chiefs at 8:15 PM ET on Prime.

This is your open thread to follow along with us for all the action today.

You know the drill.

This is now an open thread!

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...n-thread-and-fan-discussion-for-christmas-day

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Panthers vs Seahawks: Offensive Preview

This game probably doesn’t even matter. The Carolina Panthers could technically clinch the NFC South with a win and a Buccaneers loss to Quin Ewers and the Dolphins. The likelihood of both those things happening seems minuscule, but the Bucs are losing to everybody and the Panthers beat the Rams that one time, so you never know. If the Panthers do lose, next Sunday will be for the division title.

The Seahawks possess arguably the best defense in the league. They are first in defensive DVOA, fourth in EPA per play, fourth in success rate, and second in opponent yards per play. They got caught up in a shootout against the Rams last week, but prior to that, they had given up 25 total points in their previous three games. There is no weak area in this group. They pressure the passer, limit passing yards, and swallow up opposing run games. Playing against this defense is an exercise in survival.

The recipe for a win over the Seahawks is exactly the same as it was against the Rams. The Panthers executed the plan perfectly, and they’ll have to do it again. Here’s how it works:

• Run the ball and sustain long drives. The first key in beating a team that’s superior in just about every way is to minimize the total number of possessions in the game. Fewer possessions means more noise and fewer drives in which the Panthers have to keep pace with Seattle. That means they need to grind out positive yards on runs, get timely completions and high percentage throws from Bryce Young, and go for and convert fourth downs. Punts back to the Seahawks just give them more chances to score. The Panthers need to hold the ball as long as they can. This is a case where time of possession actually matters.
• Do not turn the ball over. This is obvious. It’s important in every game. But the Panthers are going to need to win the turnover battle to win the game. That becomes infinitely harder against a very good offense if the Panthers offense is giving the ball away. It also undermines key number one. You can’t have long possessions if you’re giving the ball away in the middle of them.
• Hit big plays. We saw the Panthers do this against the Rams with long completions on fourth downs. While the Panthers do need to simply keep the chains moving as much as possible, they’re going to need to mix in a few big plays to put points on the board. It’s going to be very hard to move all the way down the field and score touchdowns by dinking and dunking on every drive. The Panthers need to find spots between all the chain moving to hit deep strikes so they don’t have to win on every play against a defense that’s significantly better than this offense.

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca.../57453/panthers-vs-seahawks-offensive-preview

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Panthers vs Seahawks: Defensive Preview

Hello CSR! I apologize for the delay, but happy holidays to you all! On Sunday, the Panthers face off against an NFC playoff contenders in the Seattle Seahawks, and former Panthers QB Sam Darnold who has since been on a redemption tour after they let him walk. The Panthers defense has been very good at times this year, but they’ve been punched in the mouth a few times as well. The NFC South crown could be on the line with a Panthers win and a Dolphins win over the Buccaneers, while the Seahawks are fighting to maintain the number one seed in the NFC playoffs. So needless to say, both teams will be showing up for this bout. Let’s dive into the Panthers defensive matchup.

• Limit Jaxon Smith-Njigba. The breakout wide receiver star of this season is JSN in my opinion, as a proud fantasy owner. He’s caught 104 passes (5th in the league) for 1,637 yards (1st) and 10 TDs (tied for 3rd). The next closest receiver on their roster to him in yardage is Cooper Kupp with 558. JSN is the engine of their passing attack, on a hot streak. He will draw 1st team Pro Bowler Jaycee Horn, and Mike Jackson who is himself having a career season. Of all matchups to pay attention to, Horn and JSN duking it out is arguably the biggest one of the weekend. JSN is their passing attack, Jaycee Horn and Mike Jack will have their hands full on Sunday. I don’t expect Jaycee to be shadowing JSN since that’s just not what Ejiro Evero does on defense, but if there’s ever a Sunday to dial up a change-up, this is the one.
• Get after Sam Darnold. Our old friend Sam Darnold has thrown for 3,703 yards for Seattle this season, throwing 13 interceptions and being sacked 22 times. This Seattle offensive line has done a pretty decent job of keeping him protected and upright, leading to a potential first round bye and home field advantage in the playoffs. The biggest way to defeat this Seahawks squad is going to be getting after Sam Darnold and channeling the version of him that doesn’t see the field well and makes mistakes. The Panthers have been terrible at generating pressure without blitzing, so calling up some exotic blitzes and coverage packages is going to be key. Last week, the Panthers outlasted the Bucs and fellow former Panthers QB Baker Mayfield, while only getting two QB hits and two sacks. They did just enough to win, and they’ll be facing a similar situation here.
• Lock down the rushing attack. While Seattle’s been known for JSN and its passing attack, their rushing game is quietly a focal point as well. They are 3rd in rushing play %, and 8th in rushes per game, so they will be feeding running backs Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet. The two have combined for almost 1400 rushing yards as a group, and while Seattle’s rushing attacks isn’t necessarily elite from a statistical standpoint, it is very consistently present and leaned on. Derrick Brown and the front seven have to limit easy rushing yards to keep this game open.

What are you looking for from the defense, Panthers fans?

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca.../57462/panthers-vs-seahawks-defensive-preview

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Ask Brian: Holiday Seahawks edition

Hello CSR! Welcome to Ask Brian, your weekly Panthers fan mail bag for everyone! We are into the final stretch of the season and holy crap. The Panthers could actually make the playoffs. What a wild time to be in. Technically the Panthers could make the playoffs this week with a win over Seattle and the Buccaneers lost to the Dolphins. Of course, based on the theme of this season, I don’t expect that to happen and everything should likely come down to the final game against the Bucs.

That means there’s plenty to talk about ahead of the last two games of the season. This is your safe space to discuss everything you want to, whether it be Panthers related, football related, or even completely off topic. Comment down below with all your questions, and you’ll have some answers later on this week. Enjoy your holiday week, and keep pounding!

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/carolina-panthers-rumors/57449/ask-brian-holiday-seahawks-edition

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Panthers Injury Report & Transactions – Week 17

The Carolina Panthers front office is busy throughout the season with transactions, roster moves, and injury updates. Here’s what’s happening at Mint Street this week.

Injuries​

The 8-7 Panthers are potentially playing for their postseason lives this week against the 12-3 Seattle Seahawks. Former Carolina quarterback Sam Darnold returns to Charlotte for a potential revenge game as the Panthers look for a massive upset win.

Injuries could play a big part on the defensive side of the ball in this one with linebacker Trevin Wallace and defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton both ruled out for Sunday. In a major blow for Carolina, Wallace will miss the remainder of the season after undergoing shoulder surgery.

On the offensive side of the ball, starting guard Robert Hunt is questionable and the Panthers really need him to suit up for this one, provided he’s healthy. Veteran reserve wide receiver David Moore is also questionable for Sunday.

Transactions​

Here’s an interesting tidbit from the Panthers website: Carolina has had five players signed off of their practice squad to other teams’ rosters this season, which is tied for the most in the league this season. Teams can sign players off other teams’ practice squads provided they sign them to the active roster and all of the financial implications that come with it. So it looks like Carolina’s front office is at least signing guys who aren’t good enough to make the Panthers 53-man roster, but they’re good enough to play elsewhere? That’s an interesting situation for a team with an 8-7 record and lacks depth in a lot of areas, but here we are.

Here’s the summary of key moves on the transaction front from Christmas week:

Cornerback Kalen King signed off the practice squad by the Arizona Cardinals

As noted above, other teams seemingly enjoy signing players off the Panthers practice squad. Kalen King was a 2024 seventh round pick by the Green Bay Packers but was released after not appearing in any games during last year’s rookie season. He was signed in August by the Panthers, landed on the practice squad, then was elevated to the 53-man roster in Week 13 and played seven special teams snaps. He landed back on the Panthers practice squad and the Cardinals just swooped in and plucked him up.

Signed cornerback Michael Reid to the practice squad

With King’s departure, the Panthers are bringing undrafted rookie cornerback Michael Reid back to Charlotte. Reid originally signed as an undrafted free agent with the Panthers back in May of 2025, made the practice squad, got released in late October, and has now been re-signed. The former South Dakota star hasn’t appeared in any games this season.

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...0/panthers-injury-report-transactions-week-17

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Panthers vs Seahawks: Live fan discussion for Week 17

The penultimate game of the Carolina Panthers’ 2025 season is here with storylines to spare. Whether you want a Sam Darnold Revenge Game, a Dave Canales homecoming, the chance for the Panthers to go three for three over projected number one seeds in the NFC, or just the casual pleasure of watching the Panthers compete for their part in clinching their first playoff berth since 2017.

A win over the Seahawks and a Tampa Bay Buccaneers loss to the Miami Dolphins clinches the Panthers playoff entrance and seed with a week to spare this season. That’s huge, but perhaps not as big as the team actually looking like they belong on the same field as Seattle.

Win or lose, a competitive Panthers team today speaks more towards the sustainability of the program that Canales is building more than tying up the worst division in football.

Of course, we all know the roller coaster. Since ending their seven-year high, three-game winning streak with a Week 8 loss to the Buffalo Bills, the Panthers have gone loss-win-loss-win-loss-win-loss-win for eight weeks. That puts them on pace for a loss to the Seahawks today and a win against the Bucs next week. On the other of course hand, the Panthers are known for doing anything but what we expect. I guess we’ll see this afternoon.

This is your open thread to follow along with us for all the action today.

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Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...s-vs-seahawks-live-fan-discussion-for-week-17

 

[Carolina Panthers]

The Optimist: Meaningful January football?

The Carolina Panthers have exceeded fan expectations, doubled Bryce Young’s career high season win total, and managed an impressive load of offensive line injuries, all with a week to spare in the 2025 season. Yes, the hope this season was that the question about Young’s ability to play in the NFL would be soundly and positively settled by now. Yes, second year head coach Dave Canales has demonstrated a less-than-perfect ability to manage and call games in high leverage moments. But that’s all stuff to dissect this offseason.

Today, the Panthers still have the opportunity to make the playoffs. They have the opportunity to finish the season with a winning record. Perhaps they have lost the opportunity for a ten-win season, but that was always a pie-in-the-sky joke. This teams is at least a good offseason and, probably, an upgrade at quarterback away from truly threatening anyone. But right now they are scrappy and in a fun place to the end season, even if they aren’t always fun to watch on the field every week.

And that’s it. Every roller coaster ends. Whether we climb one last little hill or continue to slide down into the offseason, it’s all over soon. Let’s enjoy our second consecutive week being atop the NFC South. Let’s enjoy playing a game that matters in January(!) for the first time in forever. The offseason is long, let’s not jump into the misery of debating draft position and free agent options when we have a realistic dream of a home playoff game. Right now that is projected to be a redemption game against the 49ers. Usually we say don’t look ahead, but that’s for the players. We can enjoy this rarefied air all we want because it won’t last long. But it’s here for the first time in eight years, so take a deep breath and hold it—metaphorically, please—until Sunday.

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...7493/the-optimist-meaningful-january-football

 

[Carolina Panthers]

The Scratching Post: 12/29-1/2

Greetings, internet users. Welcome to The Scratching Post and the new year.

Feel free to use this thread to chat about (almost) anything you want: video games, food, movies, non-football sports, you name it. As long as it’s allowed by the site’s ToS, it’s fair game here.

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This is now an open thread

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Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/the-scratching-post/57488/the-scratching-post-12-29-1-2

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Panthers vs Seahawks game review: The blame game

While some may have hoped that it may not happen, most viewed it as inevitable. The Carolina Panthers were going to lose against the Seattle Seahawks, and the division would come down to the final game of the season.

They made a game out of it for 50 stressful minutes behind a herculean effort from both their defense and a roaring crowd at Bank of America stadium. But once Jaycee Horn’s finger tips grazed Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s facemask and the yellow flag hit the turf it felt like all the attention shifted to Week 18. The wheel’s came off and what should have been a 1 score nail-biter, devolved into a 3 score blowout.

3rd and 21. pic.twitter.com/9Lx34Xl9lj

— (@ThomasWrrld) December 28, 2025

While multiple areas of the team seemed to be ready to meet the moment, one group fell short. If you’ve so much as glanced at the box score of the game you are well aware the output of the Panthers offense was, well, offensive.

Not for nothing, the Seahawks have a dominant defense. Playmakers at every level, an abundance of athleticism and a defensive play caller nothing short of a wunderkind. But, unless it’s 2020 and you’re starting your 5th string receiver at quarterback, it’s hard to make excuses for an NFL team that produced at the level the Panthers offense managed on Sunday.

Sure, Tetairoa McMillan was added to the injury report prior to the game and JT Sanders was injured during his first snap.

Okay. the offensive line allowed pressure the quickest in the NFL despite facing a blitz at the 3rd lowest rate.

Per Next Gen Stats, Seattle had a time to pressure of 2.26 sec

2nd fastest mark in the league this week only behind Minnesota

They only had a blitz % of 13.3%, the 3rd lowest in the NFL this week

— Unnecessary Bluntness Owner/Coach/QB (@DuncOnDemand) December 29, 2025

Still, that’s not enough reasons for your quarterback and play caller to not manufacture or otherwise find anything downfield. To be clear, I mean literally anything. According to NFL’s Next Gen Stats Young produced the lowest stats in the league in all of the following categories during Week 17:

• Average completed air yards – Young’s -1.5 was the only negative total and 3.6 yards lower than the 2nd worst
• Average intended air yards at – 1.1; 3.1 yards lower than second worst
• Aggressiveness % – only 4.2% of throws were attempted to tight windows
• Longest completed air yards pass – 22 yards
• Average yards to the sticks – 6.7 yards behind the first down marker
• Passer rating – 45.8%

Got a follow up from ESPN Research:

Panthers’ longest play on the day was 11 yards. Only the fourth game this century with 50+ plays and a long of 11 or shorter.

But three of those four games were this season! Week 6 Jets (v Broncos) and Week 15 Raiders (v Eagles) https://t.co/9S0KxVYVo6

— Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak) December 29, 2025

Mind you, this is during a week when Brady Cook, Max Brosmer, Chris Oladokun, Josh Johnson, Quinn Ewers and grandfather Philip Rivers all played significant snaps.

When size is the #1 attribute you seem to value in a receiver and McMillan, Jalen Coker, and Xavier Legette are all playing significant snaps, not finding any 50/50 ball opportunities is hard to justify – especially when nothing else seems to be working.

Is this all a product of Young having a limited arm? Or maybe it’s Canales being too conservative? Could it be the Panthers don’t have receivers able to overcome seeing more man man coverage than expected? Perhaps it’s that the Panthers weapons are not enough of a threat to break tackles underneath to scare teams away from sitting back?

It could be all of the above, or it could be none of the above. Maybe there’s a curse on all those who wear the color ‘process blue’. Who knows. Frankly, blame whomever or whatever you wish. 16 games into the season, it’s unlikely that any major changes will be implemented that could resolve any of the list of issues that have plagued this offense with inconsistency.

With no miracle resolutions to the Panthers up-and-down conundrum before they play an all-or-nothing game for the division title, all that’s left is to hope that the version of the Panthers offense that shows up to that game is not the same one we saw against the Seahawks.

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...eview-the-blame-game-bryce-young-dave-canales

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Ask Brian: All or nothing week

Hello CSR! Welcome to Ask Brian, your weekly Panthers fan mailbag for everyone! I took a week off from the answers portion, partly due to a lack of participation (understandable during the holidays), and mostly because I was super under the weather after Christmas. But we’re back at it this week, and the stakes couldn’t be higher! The Panthers lost against the Seahawks last week, meaning they could not clinch the playoffs despite a Buccaneers loss to the Dolphins. Fortunately, the Falcons managed to beat the Rams to cap off the week, meaning Walker’s dream of another chaotic playoff berth may actually come to fruition. Even if the Panthers lose to the Bucs, they could still make the big dance!

So, with all that in mind, share your questions down below, whether they be Panthers related, football related, or even completely off topic! I’ll have some answers for you later on in the week! Let’s close out 2025 strong!

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/carolina-panthers-rumors/57515/ask-brian-all-or-nothing-week

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Panthers Reacts Survey Week 18: Are they going to do it?

The results of either of two games this weekend could send the Carolina Panthers to the playoffs with the NFC South title, the number 4 seed in the NFC, and a home playoff game against either the San Francisco 49ers or the Seattle Seahawks.

All they have to do is beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers or watch the Atlanta Falcons beat the New Orleans Saints.

Our questions for you this week are simple. First, our standard, and last, mid-week confidence question. Second, simply put, do you believe that the 2025 Carolina Panthers will make the playoffs?

You know the drill at this point. Answer the survey and then sound off in the comments below.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Panthers fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...reacts-survey-week-18-are-they-going-to-do-it

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Carolina Panthers 2026 NFL Draft Prospect Profile: Haynes King

As the Panthers make a final playoff push of the 2025 season, it’s never too early to look ahead toward the 2026 NFL Draft. This weekly series will take a closer look at some of the prospects the Carolina Panthers could select in the 2026 iteration of the Draft. In this series, we’ll only be looking at prospects the Panthers could seriously consider. This week our profile will focus on Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets quarterback Haynes King.

Bio​

King started out his collegiate career at Texas A&M but was unable to really make a name for himself there. He decided to transfer to Georgia Tech and has really blossomed into a true dual threat quarterback for the Jackets. His sophomore campaign saw him put up a combination of numbers only he and Heisman winner Jayden Daniels amassed that year: 2,800+ passing yards, 25+ touchdown passes, 700+ rushing yards, and 10+ rushing touchdowns. Unfortunately for King, that would be the apex of his passing production as he has not since passed for more than 14 touchdowns in a single season. He has repeatedly increased his rushing touchdowns year over year, though, and finished tenth in this year’s Heisman voting. Overall, his production in three seasons has been outstanding, tallying almost 8,000 passing yards, 55 passing touchdowns, 24 interceptions, almost 2,300 rushing yards, 36 rushing touchdowns, and 14 fumbles (five lost).

Strengths/Weaknesses​

Despite his complexion, Haynes King is a certified burner at the quarterback position, boasting sub 4.5 speed to run away from even the fastest defenders. His 6’3”, 220 lbs frame has the strength to break attempted tackles of the defenders who can catch him and are often much smaller than he is. The arm talent is also tantalizing, consistently showing off his absolute cannon of an arm even while throwing on the run. His touch on deep passes is also impressive, and he has used his physical gifts in clutch moments time and time again.

The short and intermediate throws, however, have been inconsistent at best for King, especially when under pressure. He needs to shore up his mechanics in order to create some consistency on those throws. He also has the same problem many big armed quarterbacks have: he’s a gunslinger. He trusts his arm a little too much at times, leading to some questionable choices. If teams are considering a position change, he will also need to bulk up to relieve concerns about his durability at the next level.

Projection​

Haynes King might not hear his name called at all in the 2026 NFL Draft. At best, he seems to be a late Day 3 to priority UDFA type of player at the moment. Things can change drastically if he participates in the combine and shows off his athleticism and arm strength. Scouts might swoon over him at that point, potentially vaulting him into the early parts of Day 3. His projection also depends a lot on if he’d be willing to switch positions or if he wants to stick at quarterback full time. Teams will likely ask him to work out with running backs, tight ends, and potentially even defensive backs at his pro day to see if his athleticism can find its way on the field somehow.

The Panthers likely don’t have their franchise quarterback, but it is looking more and more likely that Bryce Young will get at least one more season. Canales and Morgan could see a diamond in the rough with King as a developmental quarterback who would allow them to move on from Bryce in a year or two. Or they could see King as a potential Taysom Hill type of player. If King can block and catch well enough, he could definitely improve the Panthers’ tight end room in terms of overall athleticism and provide those gadget plays that have haunted the Panthers for years within their own division.

What do you think, Panthers fans? If Haynes King is available when the Panthers select in the 2026 NFL Draft, should they take him? Sound off in the comments!

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...s-2026-nfl-draft-prospect-profile-haynes-king

 

[Carolina Panthers]

The universe really wants the Panthers to win the NFC South

Thanks to Bijan Robinson’s 239 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns, the Atlanta Falcons beat the Los Angeles Rams and kept the Carolina Panthers’ options open for how they want to win the NFC South title. Option one, as always, is to beat or tie the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday, January 3rd at 4:30 PM ET. Win or tie and they’re in, it is that simple. Option two feels a little more Panthers. They can lose to the Bucs in the Week 18 and still win the NFC South if the Falcons also beat the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, January 4th at 1 PM ET.

Option two ends up with three teams in a three-way tie atop the NFC South standings at 8-9. The first tie breaker is head-to-head record, which the Panthers would win and thus take the division title and the four seed on the NFC side of the playoff bracket.

I don’t know how much Panthers football you’ve been watching this season, but one of this scenarios sounds sillier, more chaotic, and more Panthers than the other. I’ll let you be the judge of which is which. Week after week, the Panthers have been on the cusp of locking this thing up and, week after week, they have found a way to kick the can down the road. Now they can leave their fate in the hands of the Falcons if they want.

Panthers finish 9-8​

• If they sweep the Bucs then they’re in.
• If they split with the Bucs AND the Bucs beat the Dolphins then they’re out.
• If they split with the Bucs AND they beat the Seahawks AND the Bucs lose to the Dolphins then they’re in.

Panthers finish 8-8-1 or 9-7-1​

• Any scenario where the Panthers finish with a 1-0-1 record against the Bucs sees Carolina win the NFC South and enter the playoffs.
• If they split with the Bucs AND tie the Seahawks AND the Bucs lose to Miami then they are in.
• If they split with the Bucs AND tie the Seahawks AND the Bucs beat Miami then they are out.

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Panthers finish 8-9​

• If the Bucs sweep then the Panthers are out.
• If they split AND the Bucs beat Miami AND the Atlanta Falcons lose one more game then the Panthers are out
• If they split AND the Falcons beat the Saints then the Panthers are in

NFC South standings​

1. Carolina Panthers 8-8
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 7-9
3. Atlanta Falcons 7-9
4. New Orleans Saints 5-10

Current NFC playoff picture​

1. Seattle Seahawks 13-3
2. Chicago Bears 11-4
3. Philadelphia Eagles 10-5
4. Carolina Panthers 8-8
5. San Francisco 49ers 11-4
6. Los Angeles Rams 11-4
7. Green Bay Packers 9-6-1
8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 7-9

NFC teams eliminated from playoff contention​

• Minnesota Vikings
• Detroit Lions
• Atlanta Falcons
• Arizona Cardinals
• New Orleans Saints
• Washington Commanders
• New York Giants
• Dallas Cowboys

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...eally-wants-the-panthers-to-win-the-nfc-south

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Carolina Panthers playoffs: NFL Week 18 rooting guide for NFC South glory

The Carolina Panthers were in a lot of conversations through the month of December about the playoffs. At one time they were wild-card contenders, at others they had myriad chances to clinch their division. At this point, we all know how those conversations went and where the Panthers stand today. The long story short is that if the Panthers beat or tie the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday to finish 8-8-1 or better, they make the playoffs. If the Atlanta Falcons beat the New Orleans Saints on Sunday to force a three-way 8-9 tie at the top of the NFC South then the Panthers win the tie-breakers and the division to make the playoffs.

What we didn’t spend much time talking about in December is what happens next, if and when Carolina does advance to their first post season game since January 2018. Let’s dig in to their possible opponents.

The NFC West’s own almost three-way​

The NFC South isn’t the only division running hot and competitive at the top. The NFC West has three of the best teams in all of football right now. The Los Angeles Rams, their likely third place team can finish the season with a minimum of 11 wins. They host the Arizona Cardinals for a divisional finish to their season while the 12-4 San Francisco 49ers host the 13-3 Seattle Seahawks for a de facto NFC West championship game. The three teams at the top of the division are locked into the first, fifth and sixth seeds, with Week 18’s games determining who falls where.

The Panthers can only enter the playoffs as the fourth seed. They earn that by being a division champion with the worst record amongst division champions. The fourth seed plays the fifth seed in the wild-card round of the playoffs. That means they will play the wild-card team with the best record, which this season equates to the team that earns second place in the NFC West. That could be any of the Seahawks, 49ers, or Rams. The third wild-card team, the Green Bay Packers, can finish 10-6-1 at best and thus cannot overtake the Rams for the 6th team even with a Packers win and a Rams loss this weekend.

Any of these potential wild-card match ups will also be regular season rematches for the Panthers. The Panthers went 1-3 against the entire NFC West this season and 1-2 against these specific opponents. The good news for the Panthers is that they played the Seahawks and the 49ers closely in the first half to three quarters of their games. Conventional wisdom holds that it is hard to beat a team twice in the NFL in the same season. Conventional wisdom would also hold that the NFC West is generally playing a different class of football when compared to the NFC South.

I’m not convinced I have a favorite wild-card opponent for the Panthers. Part of me thinks the Seahawks because that game was close due to a perfect gameplan that the Panthers could be ready for a second time and without the need for the incredible turnover luck that they saw against the Rams and the 49ers. Part of me says it doesn’t matter because the Panthers are going to be in and out with a quick “just honored to be here.”

For those of you who do have a favored opponent, here are your scenarios that see the Panthers facing each team in the wild-card round of the 2025 NFL playoffs. Remember that any Panthers wild-card game will be played in Charlotte.

The Seattle Seahawks​

If the 49ers BEAT the Seahawks then the Panthers will play Seattle.

The San Francisco 49ers​

If the Seahawks BEAT OR TIE the 49ers AND the Cardinals BEAT OR TIE the Rams then the Panthers will play the 49ers

The Los Angeles Rams​

If the Seahawks BEAT the 49ers AND the Rams BEAT the Cardinals then the Panthers will play the Rams

When will this happen?​

The Panthers are up first against the Bucs on Saturday afternoon. A win against Tampa and Carolina will know that they are hosting an NFC West team in a week. Saturday night has the Seahawks at 49ers games. A 49ers win sends the Panthers to bed knowing their opponent will be the Seattle Seahawks. A Seahawks win extends the question pending the result of the 4:25 PM ET game between the Cardinals and the Rams in Los Angeles.

The NFC West will know definitively who wins the NFC South as early as Saturday evening and as late as Sunday afternoon, while second place in the West could well take a bit longer to sort out. Regardless, the full NFC playoff field will be set by kickoff of Sunday Night Football, when the AFC North will be decided between the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...nching-scenarios-week-18-tampa-bay-buccaneers

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Panthers vs Buccaneers: Defensive Preview

Happy New Year, CSR! The Panthers will face off against the Bucs in what could be their last game of the 2025 season, in a second dance that sees both teams vying for a playoff spot. Of course, the results of the Falcons-Saints game could render these results moot, but both teams should be going in for a win as that is their best chance of making the playoffs under their own power. The Panthers defense played their butts off against the Seahawks in their most recent game, however an anemic performance by the Panthers offense eventually led to the Panthers falling 27-10, in a game where they sacked Sam Darnold 3 times, picked off one pass and recovered a fumble off a sack. The Panthers mostly held Seattle’s passing game in check until the 4th quarter, but struggled against the run game as the game went on, allowing 163 yards on 36 carries for 4.5 YPC and 2 TDs. This week, the Panthers defense is facing a Buccaneers offense that very much has its back against the wall, having lost a bunch of games and not doing enough on offense to end the season. Let’s dive in.

• Force turnovers in an away playoff game setting. Baker Mayfield has been prone to turnovers in his last several games, throwing at least 1 pick in 6 of his last 7 starts. While the Bucs attempted to run the ball more against the Panthers last time (26 passes vs 33 runs), they got away from that last week in another must win game against the Dolphins (44 passes vs 16 runs) as the Dolphins got up by two scores going into half time. The Panthers should be again seeing a more balanced approach by the Bucs, but continuing to add to their timely turnovers over the last few weeks would likely make the Bucs more one dimensional, which would bode well for both the defense and this offense.
• Limit the running attack. As previously stated, based on the Buccaneers offensive woes over the last several weeks, you’d expect Bucky Irving to be a lot more involved. Last time around, Bucky led the team with 19 carries for 71 yards and 3.7 YPC. You have to replicate that. Rachaad White busted off a 39 yard rush in that instance, but for the most part the Panthers kept the running backs in check. In a game where the Bucs will be playing at home, desperately looking for a win, they may elect to lean on running the ball more, especially if they are dealing with a one score game script which has been the theme of most of Carolina’s 2025 football.
• Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson need to lock in. The Panthers cornerback tandem has mostly been good this season, and they were just that against the Bucs in their first game. None of their receivers eclipsed more than 40 yards on the day, perennial Panthers pain and agony player Mike Evans only caught 5 passes for 31 yards and their sole passing game score. With Chris Godwin, Mike Evans, Emeka Egbuka, and Jalen McMillan all coming into the game basically fully healthy, the Panthers secondary will need to lock in again. This is going to be a close game, so limiting explosive passing plays will make a huge difference.

What are you looking for from the defense on Saturday, Panthers fans?

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/ca...7549/panthers-vs-buccaneers-defensive-preview