The Carolina Panthers entered the 2026 playoffs as the biggest underdog in the NFL. After winning the NFC South thanks to a result that did not depend on them, the Falconsā victory over the Saints, no one believed in miracles.
However, in the Panthersā memory was the fresh reminder of Week 13, when they surprised the Rams, their opponent in the Wild Card Round of the postseason. They already knew the formula to defeat Matthew Stafford.
Now, as double-digit favorites, Sean McVay and his players had to prove all those expectations as Super Bowl contenders despite a second half of the schedule in which they were very inconsistent.
Are Panthers out of the 2026 NFL playoffs?
Yes. The Panthers are officially out of the playoffs after losing 34ā31 to the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card round. Bryce Young had the opportunity to tie the game on the final drive, but he was unable to complete the epic comeback.
Now, as the No. 5 seed, the Rams will be waiting for their next opponent in the Divisional Round. They have many possible options: the Seattle Seahawks, the Chicago Bears, the Philadelphia Eagles, or the San Francisco 49ers.
In this scenario, the only way they could have a home game in the Divisional Round is if the 49ers and Packers win their games in Wild Card round. That would result in Seattle vs Green Bay at Lumen Field and Rams vs San Francisco at SoFi Stadium.
see also
Are the Panthers eliminated from NFL playoffs with loss to Buccaneers?
