The Carolina Panthers sit atop the NFC South with a 3-4 record, a reality that feels strange after losing to Green Bay on Oct. 29. The team holds this spot only because the Tampa Bay Buccaneers pulled off a win against Atlanta without throwing a single completed pass. This is the first time the league has seen such a feat since 1974, according to reports.
Baker Mayfield threw three passes and completed none of them in that strange victory over the Falcons. The win came entirely from the ground game as running backs Bucky Irving and Kenny Gainwell rushed for 310 of Tampa Bay’s 324 total yards. To seal the victory, Irving ran the ball 52 times and found the end zone. The Falcons lost the chance to take the top spot, even though their quarterback is Michael Penix Jr. He earned Offensive Player of the Week honors last week after a matchup against the 49ers. Now Atlanta must beat Tampa Bay again to get back on top, a tough task per reports.
Half a Game Separates Everyone
Just half a game stands between the Panthers and the Buccaneers or Falcons in the standings. On Sunday, Nov. 8, Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte will host the Denver Broncos. Denver is coming off a huge win against the Kansas City Chiefs, which put them back on top of the AFC West. The Broncos have struggled in early Sunday games on the East Coast, going 10-16 since 2015, per Yahoo Sports.
Coach Sean Payton has Denver at 4-3 in those early slots, but the losses have been brutal including a 70-20 nightmare in Miami. The Broncos narrowly beat the Jets by one point and beat the Texans in a defensive battle before completing a fourth-quarter comeback against the Eagles. These teams are inconsistent, and the Panthers need to beat them to stay ahead. Bryce Young has shown flashes with second-year receiver Tetairoa McMillan, and the defense will have a new coordinator.
Health Will Decide the Fate
The Panthers did not practice on Wednesday, but the injury report from Nov. 4 shows key players missing time. Outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips has missed the previous two games with a hamstring issue. Damien Lewis, the left guard, sat out last week’s contest against the Packers due to a knee injury. Linebacker Bobby Okereke and rookie cornerback Will Lee III were listed as out with foot and hamstring injuries. Both quarterback Bryce Young and defensive tackle Bobby Brown III were listed as full participants.
Corey Bullock and Torricelli Simpkins III made progress as limited participants with quadriceps and ankle issues respectively. Bullock could not complete the game, while Simpkins also missed last week’s matchup. The window to practice has opened for offensive lineman Brady Christensen, who has a hamstring issue. Carolina leaves Week 8 with the half-game lead, but that lead is fragile.
