The last time the Carolina Panthers were in the playoffs, the Tide Pod Challenge was still a thing. Nauseating, right?
Well, with an all-star coaching staff at the helm and some actual hope of having a real franchise quarterback since the heyday of Cam Newton, the Panthers appear to be a somewhat legitimate threat to finally crack back into the postseason. So, what chances are the worldwide leader giving head coach Frank Reich and crew to break the franchise’s five-year drought?
According to ESPN’s current calculations from their 2023 NFL Football Power Index, the Panthers have a 34.9-percent chance to clinch a playoff berth this upcoming campaign. They also forecast their win-loss record at an approximate mark of 7.8-9.2.
As far as how those numbers stack up against the rest of the NFC South, Carolina sits behind two of its foes in the New Orleans Saints (56.5) and the Atlanta Falcons (40.6). The reigning division champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers, meanwhile, are buried at a distant 15.3 percent—the third-lowest odds amongst all 32 teams.
To round out the checkpoints, ESPN gives the Panthers a 22.2-percent chance to win the NFC South, a 16.3-percent chance to make the Divisional Round, a 5.6-percent chance to make the NFC title game, a 1.7 percent chance to make Super Bowl LVIII and a 0.6-percent chance to win the whole shabang.
So . . . you’re saying there’s a chance?
