Carolina Panthers Playoff Chances
The Carolina Panthers are 3-5 and hold the No. 4 seed in the NFC as the NFC South leader. Our model gives them a 24% chance to make the playoffs, 23% to win the NFC South and 1% to win Super Bowl LXI.
Updated · Standings include every game through Week 9 plus completed Week 10 games.
If the Panthers miss the postseason, their average projected draft slot is No. 13.2, with a 10% chance at a top-5 pick and <1% at No. 1 (2027 draft order).
Remaining schedule and playoff odds by game
| Wk | Date | Opponent | Win prob. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | Sun, Nov 15 | @ New Orleans Saints (3-5) | 50% |
| 11 | Sun, Nov 22 | vs Baltimore Ravens (4-5) | 60% |
| 12 | Mon, Nov 30 | @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-6) | 35% |
| 13 | Sun, Dec 6 | @ Minnesota Vikings (6-2) | 33% |
| 14 | Sun, Dec 13 | vs New Orleans Saints (3-5) | 59% |
| 15 | Sun, Dec 20 | vs Cincinnati Bengals (6-2) | 35% |
| 16 | Sun, Dec 27 | @ Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2) | 34% |
| 17 | Sun, Jan 3 | vs Seattle Seahawks (5-4) | 43% |
| 18 | Sun, Jan 10 | vs Atlanta Falcons (3-6) | 53% |
"Playoffs if W/L" = playoff odds in the simulations where the Panthers won or lost that game. A dash means the game barely moves their odds.
Who should Panthers fans root for in Week 10?
| Game | Root for | Odds if yes | Odds if no |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chiefs @ Falcons | Kansas City Chiefs | 25% | 23% |
| Vikings @ Packers | Green Bay Packers | 25% | 23% |
| Jaguars @ Titans | Tennessee Titans | 25% | 24% |
| Dolphins @ Colts | Indianapolis Colts | 24% | 24% |
What record gets the Panthers in?
Bars show how often the Panthers finish with each win total; the number above each bar is how often that record made the playoffs.
NFC South race
| Team | W-L | Div | Win div | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carolina Panthers | 3-5 | 1-1 | 23% | 24% |
| New Orleans Saints | 3-5 | 0-1 | 15% | 16% |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 3-6 | 2-0 | 47% | 48% |
| Atlanta Falcons | 3-6 | 1-2 | 15% | 17% |
Predict the Panthers' season
Click W or L for each remaining game to see the final record and how often that record made the playoffs in our simulations. For every team at once, use the NFL playoff predictor.
2026 results
| Wk | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | vs Chicago Bears | L 37-59 |
| 2 | @ Atlanta Falcons | W 34-3 |
| 3 | @ Cleveland Browns | L 18-21 |
| 4 | vs Detroit Lions | W 32-26 |
| 6 | @ Philadelphia Eagles | W 25-14 |
| 7 | vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers | L 13-43 |
| 8 | @ Green Bay Packers | L 19-27 |
| 9 | vs Denver Broncos | L 21-26 |
Frequently asked questions
Can the Carolina Panthers still make the playoffs?
Yes. At 3-5, the Panthers make the playoffs in 24% of our 20,000 simulations of the remaining schedule.
What record do the Carolina Panthers need to make the playoffs?
In our simulations the Panthers made the playoffs 97% of the time when they finished with 10 wins and 73% of the time with 9 wins. Their most likely final record is 7-10.
What are the Carolina Panthers' chances of winning the NFC South?
23%. They lead the division at 3-5.
Who do the Carolina Panthers play next?
At the New Orleans Saints on November 15, 2026 (Week 10, Fox). Our model gives the Panthers a 50% chance to win.