NFC SOUTH

 

Before last season, no team had ever won back-to-back NFC South titles. The Carolina Panthers may as well get fitted for their third straight division crown.

With their work done against Dallas on Thursday, the Panthers watched the rest of the division lose on Sunday. With five games to go, their lead is a nearly insurmountable five games over the Falcons:

NFC SOUTH	W	L	Pct	Div
Panthers	11	0	1.000	2-0
Falcons	6	5	.545	0-2
Buccaneers	5	6	.455	2-1
Saints	4	7	.364	1-2

The Panthers can clinch the NFC South with a win next Sunday against the Saints, or the Bucs can help them wrap it up earlier. If Tampa Bay beats Atlanta at 1:00, Carolina will be division champs before its 4:25 kick off in New Orleans.

 

NFC

 

The distance at the top of the NFC will stay the same heading into Week 13. Arizona's 19-13 win in San Francisco keeps the Cardinals two games behind Carolina:

NFC	W	L	Pct	Conf.
Panthers	11	0	1.000	7-0
Cardinals	9	2	.818	6-1
Vikings	8	3	.727	5-2
Redskins	5	6	.455	5-3
Packers	7	4	.636	5-3
Seahawks	6	5	.545	5-4
Falcons	6	5	.545	4-4
Buccaneers	5	6	.455	4-4
Giants	5	6	.455	4-5
Bears	5	6	.455	2-5
Rams	4	7	.364	3-4
Lions	4	7	.364	3-4
Eagles	4	7	.364	3-6
Saints	4	7	.364	3-6
49ers	3	8	.273	2-7
Cowboys	3	8	.273	2-7

The combined record of the Panthers' final opponents (Saints, Falcons, Giants, Bucs) is 20-24. The combined record of the Cardinals' final opponents (Rams, Vikings, Eagles, Packers, Seahawks) is 29-26.

 

PLAYOFFS

 

The Panthers, who have never clinched a postseason spot earlier than Week 15, could have locked one up Sunday night. But Seattle spoiled that by beating Pittsburgh, which means Carolina will have to wait until Week 13.  

When CAR Clinched	Week	Date
2015	13	12/2/15
2014	17	12/28/14
2013	16	12/22/13
2008	16	12/21/08
2005	17	1/2/06
2003	15	12/14/03
1996	15	12/8/96

 

16-0

 

For those starting to think about the 'u' word, Carolina's final four opponents went 0-4 Sunday, losing by a combined score of 89-42.