The Panthers got some help from an old friend Monday night.[vc_row_inner no_margin=”true” padding_top=”0px” padding_bottom=”0px” border=”none”][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][gap size=”3.313em”][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][vc_row_inner no_margin=”true” padding_top=”0px” padding_bottom=”0px” border=”none”][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″]Steve Smith caught four passes for 89 yards and a touchdown — his best game since Week 6 — to lead the Ravens to a 34-27 win over the Saints.That dropped the NFC South to 0-3 in Week 12, which means the Panthers actually made up ground without even playing. They are now just a half-game out of first place, a spot tenuously held by the Saints and Falcons.According to ESPN, this is the first time in NFL history a division leader is three games below .500.[vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][blockquote type=”left”]”I made a pact with myself that I’d look in the eyes of all my victims before taking their lunch money.” — Steve Smith, via Baltimore Sun[/blockquote]

NFC SOUTH	W	L	T	Games Behind
Atlanta	4	7	0	-
New Orleans	4	7	0	-
Carolina	3	7	1	0.5
Tampa Bay	2	9	0	2.0

The Panthers ‘easiest’ route to the playoffs is this: If they win their final five games, they win the NFC South. That may sound silly for a team that’s lost five straight, but thanks to their dreadful division, the Panthers still have plenty to play for this season.[custom_headline type=”center” level=”h4″ looks_like=”h4″]Remaining Schedules[/custom_headline]

Carolina	New Orleans	Atlanta	Tampa Bay
@ Minnesota (4-7)	@ Pittsburgh (7-4)	vs Arizona (9-2)	vs Cincinnati (7-3-1)
@ New Orleans (4-7)	vs Carolina (3-7-1)	@ Green Bay (8-3)	@ Detroit (7-4)
vs Tampa Bay (2-9)	@ Chicago (5-6)	vs Pittsburgh (7-4)	@ Carolina (3-7-1)
vs Cleveland (7-4)	vs Atlanta (4-7)	@ New Orleans (4-7)	vs Green Bay (8-3)
@ Atlanta (4-7)	@ Tampa Bay (2-9)	vs Carolina (3-7-1)	vs New Orleans (4-7)

Opponents’ combined records

• New Orleans – 21-33-1
• Carolina – 21-34
• Atlanta – 31-23-1
• Tampa Bay – 29-24-2