Charlotte suddenly sits at the top of the NFC South for the first time in a decade after last night’s shocking Thursday Night Football divisional matchup.
Atlanta stunned Tampa Bay 29–28 with a dramatic fourth-quarter comeback, capped by Zane Gonzalez’s 43-yard field goal as time expired. The Falcons, already eliminated from playoff contention, scored 15 points in the final quarter and still managed to win despite committing a franchise-record 19 penalties for 125 yards.
The upset dealt a major blow to the Buccaneers, who have now dropped five of their last six games and fell to 7–7. Tampa Bay had held the division lead all season until Thursday night. Carolina, at 7–6, now moves into sole possession of the NFC South’s top spot heading into Week 15.
It marks the first time since 2015—the year Cam Newton led the team to a division title—that the Panthers sit alone in first place this late in the season.
Carolina must beat the New Orleans Saints on Sunday to keep control of the division. The race remains tight, with the Panthers and Buccaneers set to meet again in Weeks 16 and 18, setting up what could become a dramatic finish to the NFC South battle.
For now, though, the Panthers are happy to credit the Falcons for giving them a vital boost in a playoff chase that has suddenly become theirs to lose.
