GREEN BAY, Wisc. (WBTV) - The Carolina Panthers reached rare air when they beat the NFC-leading Green Bay Packers on Sunday.
Carolina won 16-13 on a last-second, 49-yard field goal off the leg of rookie kicker Ryan Fitzgerald.
The win put the Panthers back above .500 with a 5-4 record, and in doing so, made them just the second team in the NFL’s modern era to have a winning record through nine games, despite being an underdog in each game.
The Panthers entered Sunday’s game against Green Bay as 13.5-point underdogs, which also marked the biggest upset since 2023.
Carolina did it by leaning heavily on running back Rico Dowdle, playing stout defense, and getting clutch play from quarterback Bryce Young, and of course the kicker Fitzgerald.
“If we play our style of ball, keep ourselves in it, we’ll give ourselves a chance to finish the way we want to,” Panthers head coach Dave Canales said after the game.
Canales called his team “resilient,” and said the players were “learning to trust and have confidence at the same time.”
The Panthers beat the Packers on a last-second field goal made by rookie kicker Ryan...
The Panthers beat the Packers on a last-second field goal made by rookie kicker Ryan Fitzgerald (10).(Mike Roemer | AP)
Sunday’s win over the Packers came just a week after Carolina got embarrassed by Buffalo 40-9 at home, but that was without Young, who missed the Bills game with an ankle injury.
Including the Green Bay game, the Panthers have now won their past four contests with Young under center. The third-year quarterback said his team’s “confidence never wavered” on Sunday, and he too spoke to the Panthers’ resiliency.
Dowdle, who ran for 130 yards and two touchdowns on Sunday, said that this time of the season is when the good teams start to separate themselves from the bottom ones.
“November football is when -- we said early in the week, you’re either a descender or ascender,” Dowdle told reporters postgame in the locker room. “So it was great to come out here and get a road win against the No. 1 team in the NFC. Definitely got to continue to build off it and take it week by week.”
Panthers in the playoff hunt
At 5-4, the Panthers are in the thick of the playoff hunt -- which for a team that finished with only five wins all of last year -- is a significant step forward.
The Panthers posted Canales’ victory speech on social media after the win over the Packers, and in it, he asked his team to “just dream with me a little bit.” Despite the coach’s dream, a theme for Carolina in press conferences all year has been to acknowledge that the NFL is a “week-to-week” league, meaning each game brings its own challenges.
Next up for the Panthers is a date with the division-rival New Orleans Saints in Charlotte. While the Saints are currently tied for the worst record in the league, Carolina would be wise not to overlook a rival, which could become a potential “trap” game.
Rico Dowdle (5) is among the leading rushers in the NFL and is a big reason for the Panthers'...
Rico Dowdle (5) is among the leading rushers in the NFL and is a big reason for the Panthers' recent success.(Matt Ludtke | AP)
After New Orleans, the Panthers will play the Falcons, then have several matchups with fellow playoff hopefuls.
Carolina’s remaining 2025 regular-season schedule is below:
Week 10: Home vs. Saints -- Sunday, Nov. 9
Week 11: Away against Falcons -- Sunday, Nov. 16
Week 12: Away against 49ers -- Monday, Nov. 24
Week 13: Home vs. Rams -- Sunday, Nov. 30
Week 14: Bye
Week 15: Away against Saints -- Sunday, Dec. 14
Week 16: Home vs. Buccaneers -- Sunday, Dec. 21
Week 17: Home vs. Seahawks -- Date TBD
Week 18: Away against Buccaneers -- Date TBD
While the Panthers have put themselves in position to challenge for a playoff spot up to this point, NFL.com’s “Playoff Probability” tool gave Carolina just a 23% chance to reach the postseason -- even after the win over Green Bay.
Sportsbooks also seem a bit pessimistic about the Panthers’ playoff chances. FanDuel has them listed at +235 to make the postseason following the Packers game.
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