Panthers Playoff Chances: Betting Odds And What Carolina Needs To Win The NFC Wild Card

The Carolina Panthers were once 6-2 and considered locks for the postseason, if not an NFC South division title. Now, more than a month later, they are 6-7 and might need a miracle to sneak into the NFC playoffs.

The Panthers host the NFC South champion New Orleans Saints on “Monday Night Football” this week. Carolina is a 6-point home underdog, according to OddsShark. Even if they defy the odds, the Panthers’ playoff chances appear to be slim.

ESPN’s Football Power Index (or FPI) gives the Panthers just a 16 percent chance to be an NFC Wild Card team if they win on Monday night. If they lose, their playoff chances go down to an almost-nonexistent 2 percent. The Panthers are a half-game behind the Minnesota Vikings (7-6-1) for the NFC’s sixth seed.

Vegas Insider gives the Panthers 100/1 odds to win the NFC and go to the Super Bowl, good for seventh in the conference.

Three of the four NFC division titles have already been settled, with the Dallas Cowboys (8-6) appearing likely to win the only undecided division. That means the Panthers need to beat the Saints, keep winning and hope the sixth-seeded Vikings and fifth-seeded Seattle Seahawks (8-6) lose as much as possible.

Carolina ends the season with two out of its three remaining games at home, including Monday night’s game. Over the next two weeks they will host an Atlanta Falcons (5-9) team playing for pride and travel to New Orleans to play a Saints team that might rest its starters by then.

The Vikings have to play the Detroit Lions (5-9) and Chicago Bears (10-4) to close out the season. The Seahawks, meanwhile will host the Kansas City Chiefs (11-3) in a titanic matchup next week before ending the regular season at home against the Arizona Cardinals (3-11).