For the primary time in a decade, the Carolina Panthers are NFC South champions. For the primary time in NFL historical past, the Panthers are the one franchise to make the postseason with a shedding document twice.
Carolina realized its destiny on Sunday when the Atlanta Falcons defeated the New Orleans Saints, sparing the Panthers attributable to a three-way tiebreaker amongst 8-9 groups. The Buccaneers beat the Panthers on Saturday and Atlanta determined the division title among the many three groups atop the NFC South, which went to Carolina by advantage of the very best head-to-head document.
“The neighborhood is loopy. We had been yelling from our sofa, as a household,” Canales mentioned of his expertise Sunday as a Falcons’ fan. “Walked outdoors the place we usually journey bikes and stroll the canines and there have been simply neighbors within the entrance yards. Actually excited.”
Considered one of 14 groups who’ve extra soccer to play past the common season, Panthers head coach Dave Canales mentioned Sunday night time he hasn’t heard when Carolina would possibly play subsequent weekend. However he’ll have that data earlier than the tip of the night time and start plotting his first playoff plan as a head coach after turning round a franchise that went 5-12 final season and 2-15 in 2023 earlier than he was employed.
“We are going to go proper again to work,” Canales mentioned.
The Panthers additionally made the playoffs with a shedding document — 7-8-1 — in 2014. They adopted that up with a 15-1 mark in 2015, their final division championship season.
Carolina has solely reached the playoff as soon as since then, following an 11-5, second-place end in 2017.
However Canales mentioned document is insignificant beginning Monday, when each playoff workforce is on equal footing at 0-0. As division champions, the Panthers will host an NFC wild-card recreation in opposition to the Los Angeles Rams or San Francisco 49ers.
“The familiarity provides a stage of confidence when it comes to what we’re up in opposition to,” he mentioned.
Carolina performed the 49ers and Rams in consecutive weeks, shedding at San Francisco (20-9) on Nov. 24 and beating the Rams (31-28) six days later.
–Discipline Degree Media
