The Carolina Panthers should have more than enough motivation going into this game. With a playoff spot still (somehow) within reach and a division rival coming to town for a nationally televised game, the Panthers will look to avoid their sixth straight loss. The New Orleans Saints and Panthers seasons have gone in completely opposite directions since the midpoint.
Carolina, winless and drowning since Week Nine, has one last shot to come up for air against a New Orleans team that is fighting for home-field advantage throughout the NFC Playoffs. Standings aside, this game is huge for the pride of the Panthers as a franchise. Carolina has lost three straight to the Saints, including last year’s Wild Card Playoff. These teams really don’t like each other, so here is the old cliche about throwing records out the window. The Panthers season is on the line against their most heated division rival for the second straight year. This one may be a lot more of a game than people think it’ll be.
Carolina Panthers Monday Night Football Preview: Can They Break Their Losing Streaks?
Don’t get embarrassed
As I said, have some damn pride. To lose four straight to your biggest rival would make this season somehow even worse. Especially on primetime. Twitter is watching. Do it for the old guys who are set to retire this offseason. The Panthers in the Rivera-Newton era have played their best with their backs against the wall. Hopefully, this trend can continue and, at the very least, this team can carry some momentum into the offseason.
Playing Spoiler
Winning for a better shot at the playoffs is one thing, but ruining your rival’s home field advantage in a year where they shoved all their chips to the middle of the table is a decent consolation prize. This may be the Saints last chance to win a Super Bowl in the Payton-Brees era. Ruining that would arguably be better than losing to the Cowboys in the first round of the playoffs for Carolina.
Miracle Playoff Odds
Let’s talk about what needs to happen this week to best help the Panthers playoff chances. Obviously, Carolina (6-7) is battling for the sixth seed in the NFC most closely with the Minnesota Vikings (6-6-1) and the Philadelphia Eagles (6-7). Barring an Aaron Rodgers miracle, these should be the only three teams left with a shot at the remaining postseason spot. Luckily on Sunday, the Eagles will be traveling to Los Angeles to take on a Rams team coming off an embarrassing loss in Chicago.
I’m predicting the Eagles lose that one, especially considering that quarterback Carson Wentz is done for the year with a back fracture. Although, as we saw last year, it’s not very smart to count out the legendary Nick Foles. The Eagles finish the season taking on the Texans and Redskins. Expect them to go 1-2 in their final three games bringing their record to 7-9 and virtually eliminating them from contention.
That brings us to the Vikings, who have struggled of late. So much so that they fired their offensive coordinator, John DeFilippo after being stonewalled by the streaking Seahawks on Monday night. The Vikings head home to take on a Miami team who is on cloud nine after walking off against New England on Sunday. If the Dolphins can pull the upset here, the Vikings finish the season with two tough divisional games against the Lions and Bears.
The Miami game will determine how this all plays out. The Vikings should be able to handle the Lions, but a Bears team with something to play for should take care of business. If the Vikings were to go 2-1 in this stretch, the Panthers would need to win out to make the playoffs. If the Vikings go 1-2, Carolina has some more wiggle room.
It will be extremely tough for the Panthers to make the playoffs this year, especially considering their final three opponents, but the 2014 season taught us to never say never. The Panthers were given less than a 1% chance to make the playoffs after beginning the season 3-8-1. After a blowout win in New Orleans in Week 13, the Panthers got hot and won out. They even ended up winning a home playoff game.
Once you get into the playoffs, anything can happen. At this point, it’s a win-win scenario for the Panthers. They either win and spark hope in a run, or they lose, boost their draft position, and get a head start on their head coaching search.
Worst Case Scenario:
The Saints come marching in and embarrass the Panthers worse than the Steelers did on Thursday Night Football in Week 10. The Panthers miss opportunities. Again. Everyone in the country and their mother roasts Cam Newton relentlessly as the Panthers’ slim playoff hopes officially evaporate. Jason Witten goes his first full game without making a complete ass of himself in the booth and also gets a few solid jabs in on Cam. My worst nightmare.
Best Case Scenario:
The Carolina Panthers aren’t dead yet. Monday Night Cam shows up with reckless abandon and influences Sean Payton to break multiple clipboards. The Vikings and Eagles lose on Sunday giving the Panthers sole possession of the 6th seed in the NFC Playoff Race. The Saints implode and lose out. This sparks a magical playoff run for Carolina that ends with David Tepper hoisting the Lombardi trophy in Atlanta. Matt Ryan is cut and signs with the Lions, where he never makes a return to the playoffs. Kanye stops tweeting.
Bolded Predictions:
Score: Saints 38 Panthers 17
Offensive MVP: Christian McCaffrey (130 rushing yards, seven catches, 84 receiving yards and a touchdown)
Defensive MVP: Luke Kuechly (13 Tackles, 1 FF)
Main photo:
Embed from Getty Images
