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Carolina Panthers fans don’t often root for their division rivals, but Sunday was an exception.
The final spot in the NFC playoffs came down to a matchup between two division rivals who had long been eliminated from postseason contention because the Tampa Bay Buccaneers kept their playoff hopes alive on Saturday with a 16-14 victory over the Panthers. Carolina would have clinched the division with a win, but following their loss, neither team controlled its own destiny anymore.
Instead, both of their playoff fates came down to Sunday’s matchup between the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons – Tampa Bay needed the Saints to win or tie, while the Panthers were Falcons fans for the day.
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Drake London of the Atlanta Falcons reacts after scoring a touchdown during the first quarter of the game against the New Orleans Saints at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Jan. 4, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
It will likely be a while until Panthers fans root for the Falcons again, but they sure owe Atlanta a ton after the Falcons beat the Saints to give Carolina the NFC South title and simultaneously knock out the Bucs.
The Falcons got on the board first, just two plays after blocking a Saints punt and recovering it at New Orleans’ 5-yard line. An offensive holding penalty pushed them back 10 yards, but Kirk Cousins found Drake London for a 15-yard score. After the Saints missed a field goal on their next drive, Atlanta found the uprights to go up 10-0.
The Saints answered with a 10-play drive that ended with Tyler Shough rushing for a score, cutting the lead to three points before the end of the first half. Atlanta kicked a field goal on its first drive of the second half to go up six, and the Saints were forced to settle for three after a touchdown was taken back because of a penalty. The Falcons kicked another to go up six with 10:43 to go.
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) passes against the New Orleans Saints during the first half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. (Dale Zanine/Imagn Images)
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With just over three minutes to go, the Saints got to the red zone, but Shough threw a costly interception that was returned to the New Orleans 27-yard line. Atlanta kicked yet another field goal, but this one made it a two-possession game.
The Saints scored a touchdown with 1:11 to go and lined up for the onside kick, but Atlanta recovered, giving Carolina the division.
It is the Panthers’ first playoff appearance since 2017. It is the fourth time an NFL team has won the division with a record below .500, a feat also accomplished by the Panthers in 2014, when they went 7-8-1.
As for the Bucs, it’s the first time since the 2019 season—right before Tom Brady came to town—in which they will not play playoff football. Brady’s first year, when they won a Super Bowl, snapped a 12-year playoff drought and started a streak of five consecutive playoff seasons, which is now over.
Bryce Young of the Carolina Panthers is seen before playing the Seattle Seahawks at Bank of America Stadium on Dec. 28, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
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The Panthers are now locked into the No. 4 seed and will host a playoff game this weekend against either the San Francisco 49ers or Los Angeles Rams.
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