NFL playoff picture: How the Carolina Panthers can clinch a playoff berth in Week 18

The Carolina Panthers are 60 minutes of football away from their first playoff berth since 2017. Or maybe it’s 120 minutes. We’ll explain more below, but the Panthers head into Week 18 with their highest win total since 2017 and showing signs of growth moving forward. They face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to close out the regular season in a game that could decide the NFC South champion. I say “could” because there is an usual clinching scenario for the Panthers.

The Panthers-Bucs matchup kicks off in Tampa at 4:3 p.m. ET on Saturday. The Panthers are field goal underdogs.

Carolina Panthers playoff berth clinching scenarios

If the Panthers beat the Bucs on Saturday, they clinch the NFC South title. If the Panthers lose, they would still be able to clinch the division title if the Falcons beat the Saints on Sunday. The reason for that is that wins by the Bucs and Falcons would create a three-way tie atop the NFC South. When three teams are tied in the division, the first tiebreaker best record against the other teams. In this case, Carolina would be 3-1, the Bucs would be 2-2, and the Falcons would be 1-3. If the Falcons lost, it would be a two-way tie between the Panthers and Bucs. They split their head-to-head series, and would have the same divisional record. It would then go to record in common games, which the Bucs lead.

Atlanta is a 3.5-point favorite in their matchup against the Saints.

NFC standings entering Week 18

Here are the full NFC standings ahead of the weekend:

1. Seattle Seahawks (13-3) – x
2. Chicago Bears (11-5) – xy
3. Philadelphia Eagles (11-5) – xy
4. Carolina Panthers (8-8)
5. San Francisco 49ers (12-4) – x
6. Los Angeles Rams (11-5) – x
7. Green Bay Packers (9-6-1) – x
8. Minnesota Vikings (8-8) – e
9. Detroit Lions (8-8) – e
10. Dallas Cowboys (7-8-1) – e
11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-9)
12. Atlanta Falcons (7-9) – e
13. New Orleans Saints (6-10) – e
14. Washington Commanders (4-12) – e
15. Arizona Cardinals (3-13) – e
16. New York Giants (3-13) – e

x – Team has clinched a playoff spot
y – Team has clinched their division title
e – Team has been eliminated from playoff contention

NFC South standings entering Week 18

Here are the full NFC South standings:

1. Carolina Panthers (8-8)
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-9)
3. Atlanta Falcons (7-9) – e
4. New Orleans Saints (6-10) – e