One of the main factors for Dave Canales’ team reaching this far has undeniably been its offense, particularly on the ground. Rico Dowdle has been its primary contributor, though his future seems uncertain heading into what’s next.

During a recent conversation with the media in the locker room, the explosive running back focused on how his playing time decreased as the weeks went on—something that could potentially tip the scales in the upcoming free agency.

“I just want to be a guy who can get the ball,” Dowdle said. While the Panthers trust they can assemble a competitive roster to improve on last season, the running back’s comments cast doubt on his stay in Carolina.

The Young-Dowdle tandem was key for the Panthers

In a breakout 2025 campaign with the Carolina Panthers, Rico Dowdle evolved into a vital asset for Bryce Young, providing the offensive balance needed to sustain drives.

Dowdle amassed 1,076 rushing yards on 236 carries, maintaining a highly efficient 4.6 average and punching in 6 touchdowns on the ground. His explosive mid-season form, highlighted by franchise-record performances, made him a key weapon that relieved pressure on Young’s passing game.

However, his on-field appearances notably tapered off during the latter stages of the season due to tactical adjustments by the coaching staff. Head coach Dave Canales opted for a more rigid hot hand rotation with Chuba Hubbard and specialized personnel packages that prioritized situational blocking and fresh legs, which often saw Dowdle’s snap counts fluctuate despite his proven playmaking ability.

However, in the Panthers’ 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 34–31 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.

This accolade could give him a very important boost to win the MVP award. That race also appears to be only between two players: Stafford and Maye. Nevertheless, being a First-Team All-Pro is a very significant edge for potential voters.

At the moment, Matthew Stafford and the Rams are trying to win a second Super Bowl in the playoffs. The quarterback had a great 2025 season with 4,707 yards, 46 touchdowns, and only 8 interceptions.

Will Matthew Stafford retire if Rams lose to Panthers?

Matthew Stafford has shown no signs that he plans to retire, even if the Rams lose to the Panthers. Although he is 37 years old, the level he has shown allows him to play several more seasons at a high level.

Rams can win the Super Bowl

Despite entering the playoffs as the No. 5 seed, the Rams are favorites for many experts to be the NFC representative in the Super Bowl. This is ahead of other teams such as the Seahawks, Bears, or Eagles.

It took three seasons for Bryce Young to reach the playoffs. In previous years, the Panthers were reportedly open to trading him, but after a solid 2025 NFL season, those discussions appear to be off the table.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Panthers plan to exercise the fifth-year option in Bryce Young’s contract. This decision keeps him in Carolina for at least two more seasons, with the possibility of a new long-term deal depending on his performance and the team’s results in the 2026 playoffs.

Bryce Young has improved, but success is still missing

The 2025 season was a step forward for Bryce Young. The former No. 1 overall pick showed improvement across nearly every statistical category, helping the Panthers end a seven-year playoff drought.

Young finished the regular season with an 8-8 record, a 63.6% completion rate, 3,011 passing yards, 23 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. Aside from the interceptions, those numbers represent career highs for him.

However, this still falls short of what Carolina expected after investing so much in the former Alabama standout. With a final QB rating of 47.7, questions remain about Young’s ceiling, which explains why the Panthers are not ready to offer a contract extension without seeing further development over the next two years.

Reaching the 2026 playoffs helps his case, but Young must deliver greater success and turn the Panthers into legitimate contenders. Otherwise, the organization may allow his rookie contract to play out and consider moving on if results don’t improve.

The NFC South may be helping Bryce Young

Many fans consider the NFC South the weakest division in the NFL. While that may have helped Bryce Young gain confidence, it also raises concerns about how he performs against stronger competition.

Carolina finished 5-6 against non-division opponents and 3-3 within the NFC South. The Panthers were not dominant either inside or outside the division, which continues to fuel doubts about Young’s overall impact and long-term potential as a franchise quarterback.

That means the Buccaneers were officially eliminated and the Panthers will have a postseason game at home as division champions. A huge break of luck, or destiny, that very few expected with that three-way tie at the top of the standings.

Now, despite being the biggest underdog in the NFL to win the Super Bowl, the Panthers will host Matthew Stafford and the Rams. It is important to remember that in Week 13, Carolina pulled off the upset by defeating Los Angeles. Anything is possible.

What happens if the Panthers lose against the Rams in the Wild Card round?

If the Panthers lose to the Rams in the Wild Card Round of the NFL playoffs, Carolina will be officially eliminated. Then, as the No. 5 seed in the NFC, Los Angeles would advance to the Divisional Round, and their next opponent could be the Seattle Seahawks, the Philadelphia Eagles, the Chicago Bears or the San Francisco 49ers.

What happens if the Panthers and Rams tie in 2026 playoffs?

If the Carolina Panthers and the Los Angeles Rams tie, the game will go to overtime under playoff rules. In this scenario, each team will necessarily have at least one possession, unless the defense records a safety on the first drive. The game cannot end in a tie.

What happens if the Rams lose today against Panthers in Wild Card round?

If the Rams lose today to the Panthers, they will be eliminated in a huge upset, considering it is a roster with names like Matthew Stafford, Davante Adams, and Puka Nacua.

In case the Panthers beat the Rams, their No. 4 seed would give them many possible options for opponents in the Divisional Round. They could face the Seahawks, Bears or the Eagles, or even have another home game against the 49ers.

The Panthers made their last playoff appearance in 2018. This season, they are back in the postseason as NFC South champions, but head coach Dave Canales doesn’t want the team to feel overly confident.

Ahead of their game against the Los Angeles Rams, Canales sent a clear message to Bryce Young and the rest of the roster, emphasizing the importance of staying focused and clearing their minds in order to approach this tough matchup the right way.

“It is special, and it’s important that we recognize that, we lean into it and we feed off that energy,” HC Dave Canales said. “At the same time, we’ve got to keep our head about us and execute on the most fundamental parts of it. Because if you get too excited and caught up in the moment, you can sacrifice technique, and sometimes you can go too far and that’s not what I want either.”

The Panthers are not favorites against the Rams

During the 2025 regular season, the Panthers shocked everyone by defeating the Rams. However, Los Angeles has changed significantly since then, which is why another surprise is considered unlikely.

Carolina will have home-field advantage thanks to its division title, and the Panthers will need to take full advantage of it to overcome a team many fans view as the strongest NFC contender this year.

The Panthers have not won a playoff game since 2015, when they reached Super Bowl 50 with Cam Newton leading the offense. Experience is on the Rams’ side, but Canales proved in the regular-season matchup that Carolina is capable of defying the odds.

Despite the many doubts about Young as a franchise QB, the Alabama prospect managed to bounce back after a tough rookie year and has established himself as the undisputed starter.

Now, the Panthers could have a chance to fight for the Super Bowl if they defeat the Buccaneers to win the NFC South. However, a loss could derail their postseason hopes.

Are the Panthers out of the playoffs if they lose to Buccaneers?

No. The Carolina Panthers are not out of the playoffs even if they lose to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In this scenario, a win by the Atlanta Falcons over the New Orleans Saints would make the Panthers NFC South champions and earn them a ticket to the postseason.

What happens if the Panthers beat the Buccaneers in Week 18?

If the Carolina Panthers defeat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 18, they will clinch their playoff berth as NFC South champions. That would make them the No. 4 seed in the conference, with a home game in the Wild Card round.

They came out victorious in the Week 16 duel against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, taking the lead of the division with two games left. Carolina will host the Seattle Seahawks in Week 17 before visiting the Buccaneers in the season finale.

Young’s team has secured big wins over the Green Bay Packers and the Los Angeles Rams, showing that they can beat anybody on a good day, but have also lost twice to the New Orleans Saints, the worst team in the division. The quarterback continues to make strides and recent numbers should make Panthers fans dream.

Bryce Young is heating up at the right time

After resurging following his benching in 2024, Bryce Young is doing the same this season. He has dealt with injuries this time, but his late-season performances show that he is evolving. Panthers analyst Edgar Salmingo Jr. shared on Tuesday that Young was one from Weeks 1-10, ranking low in most QB stats, including turnovers and total touchdowns.

From Week 11 until this point, he ranks first in fumbles (last fumbled in Week 11), fifth in interceptions and fourth in total touchdowns.

It’s been argued that the Panthers must move on from Young at the end of the season, but he is on the verge of taking his team to the postseason. The Seahawks (12-3) aren’t an easy opponent by any means, but the Panthers have shown they aren’t an easy win for anybody.

The New Orleans Saints got the best of the Panthers with a game-winning field goal. They were in control of their own destiny after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ collapse.

That’s why ESPN insider David Newton had some big words to say about Bryce Young. Essentially, he blamed the former No. 1 pick for the team’s shortcomings on Sunday.

ESPN insider says Bryce Young didn’t do enough

“Bryce Young needed to step up in his biggest December game in the NFL, and he didn’t do quite enough.” Newton wrote. “In the end, the quarterback, who went 15-for-24 for 163 yards and 1 touchdown, didn’t do enough.”

Granted, on the surface, Young’s numbers are far from impressive, and this was a game the Panthers just couldn’t afford to lose. Nevertheless, this was a subpar team effort overall.

Also, the Saints have been much better than their record shows, at least offensively, since Tyler Shough took the reins of the offense, and that’s just how divisional games usually go.

Fast forward to today, and they’re having their best season in quite a while. And while there have been some ups and downs, their quarterback has looked solid lately, especially in clutch situations.

The eye test may not be that impressive, and he clearly still has some work to do. Nevertheless, the numbers show that he’s actually been getting better and better with more reps.

Bryce Young is trending in the right direction

“Quarterback Bryce Young (64.7 grade; 30th) has been playing excellent football over the last month: His 74.1 overall PFF grade since Week 10 is 10th among quarterbacks, and his 5.2% big-time throw rate is ninth,” PFF’s Thomas Valentine wrote. “If Young can keep playing stellar ball, the Panthers might sneak into the playoffs as division winners — something they haven’t done since 2015.”

Of course, that’s a big if, and the Panthers don’t control their own destiny in the division right now. But given how the Buccaneers have struggled, it’s definitely not out of the question.

His game might not be as flashy, and he doesn’t do a lot of talking. Then again, Bryce Young has taken some big leaps since his terrible rookie season, and he might turn out to be just fine.

Young finished 15 of 20 for 206 yards and three touchdowns with two sacks. The Panthers improved to 7-6 and confirmed they aren’t dead in the race for the NFC South.

Young’s performance earned him a lot of attention, more so given the caliber of the team he beat. The Panthers need to build on this win, but Young appears to be on the right path.

Bryce Young gets high praise after beating Rams

Fox Sports analyst Eric Williams lauded Young on his Thursday’s NFL Heat Index. The analyst praised the quarterback and noted that the Panthers can pose a big challenge to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

“The Alabama product was solid in his team’s upset win at home over the Los Angeles Rams, finishing 15 of 20 for 206 yards, with three touchdown passes and no interceptions for a 147.1 passer rating,” Williams wrote. “Panthers head coach Dave Caneles has done a nice job of creating an offense that accentuates Young’s skill set, leaning on a running game led by Chuba Hubbard and Rico Dowdle. At 7-6, the Panthers have a chance to challenge the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC South. And Young’s efficient play in leading the offense gives Carolina a chance to win each week.”

They will face the New Orleans Saints on Week 15, hoping to get revenge on their divisional rivals and secure their eighth win of the season.