Power Rankings: Panthers tight-roping way to playoff fate

Updated Dec. 23

We always talk about the fine line in the NFL between good and bad, champs and chumps.

The Carolina Panthers might be living that right now.

The Panthers were a 50-yard field goal away from earning the top seed in the NFC Sunday night, which would have meant the NFC playoffs had to go through Charlotte.

If John Kasay makes the kick at the end of regulation -- tough in those windy conditions -- the Panthers defeat the New York Giants and take the top seed. Kasay missed, the Giants won in overtime and now the Panthers might be staring at the wild-card route.

Ouch.

If Carolina loses to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday and the Atlanta Falcons beat the St. Louis Rams at home, the Panthers will be the fifth seed in the playoffs, which means a road game at Arizona while Atlanta wins the division and gets that coveted bye.

If the Panthers defeat the Saints, they win the NFC South and take the second seed and get a bye.

I was all set to pencil the Panthers into the second spot in my CBSSports.com Power Rankings late Sunday before the Giants rallied to win that game. The Panthers played their butts off -- for nothing.

You can bet the Panthers will get a full dose of Sean Payton's bag of tricks in New Orleans. Drew Brees is 402 yards away from breaking Dan Marino's single-season record for passing yards and the Saints are playing for nothing.

How much fun will they have?

Not only that, but the Panthers are playing a second consecutive road game and put an awful lot into beating the Giants. What will they have left?

This is when coaches like John Fox earn their money. Getting his team back focused will be a challenge.

I saw the Saints-Panthers game live the first time they played. The Panthers beat up the Saints, mugging the outside receivers, forcing Brees to pull the ball down a lot. They better hope to do the same. The only problem is the Saints are much better offensively at home than they are on the road.

This is not a good situation for the Panthers. A loss and all the momentum they had heading into the fourth quarter of that game with the Giants, when it looked like a No. 1 seed was theirs, will be gone. The road to the Super Bowl would be a tough one with a loss, and a disappointment.

Coaches always talk cliché-speak about one play can be the difference in winning it all. That missed field goal by Kasay just might be that play for the Panthers.

What a fine line it is indeed.

Power Rankings
Current		Team	Previous
	1	Colts · Trends	1
	They make it interesting, but they still find a way. The amazing thing is that they are winning yet not healthy. That's what a good quarterback does for a team.
	2	Saints · Trends	2
	Can anybody stop that offense? If they get to play their playoff games inside the Superdome, it's hard not imagining them in the Super Bowl.
	3	Vikings · Trends	3
	If the playoffs go through their dome, they will be tough to beat. They seem to be getting better -- if that's possible.
	4	Cowboys · Trends	5
	The offense woke up against the Raiders, which is a good sign moving forward. But it will be December the next time they play and we know how they fade in that month.
	5	Bengals · Trends	6
	It wasn't pretty against the Browns, but they went to 8-3. The one concern I have is they aren't passing it that well right now. That has to get better down the stretch.
	6	Chargers · Trends	7
	Momentum seems to be building for this team. As the defense improves, so will their Super chances. We know they can score.
	7	Patriots · Trends	4
	They got ambushed in New Orleans. That defense has not played well when facing good passing teams. Where's the pass rush?
	8	Eagles · Trends	9
	They struggled some against the Redskins and now must go on the road at Atlanta. That won't be easy.
	9	Broncos · Trends	12
	That was a season-saving victory against the Giants. But be careful this week against the Chiefs. They've owned the Broncos in December at Arrowhead.
	10	Packers · Trends	14
	They are starting to have a playoff look about them. The key will be how that offensive line holds up.
	11	Cardinals · Trends	8
	The division race tightened up with that loss to the Titans, and now they have a huge game with the Vikings. They have to be careful of San Francisco creeping back into it.
	12	Steelers · Trends	10
	The questioning of Ben Roethlisberger sitting out by teammates is not a good sign. They shouldn't do that. It could cause problems.
	13	Giants · Trends	11
	This is a team in big trouble. If Eli Manning can't play at close to 100 percent the rest of the way, they can forget the playoffs. Even with them, they could miss out.
	14	Falcons · Trends	15
	Matt Ryan won't play this week, which means Chris Redman will have their playoff hopes on his right arm against the Eagles. Can he play as well as he did last week, now that they know he's coming?
	15	Ravens · Trends	17
	They had a huge victory last week over the Steelers, but now have to go to Green Bay to face the Packers. That will be tough.
	16	Jaguars · Trends	13
	As long as they don't go to the West Coast again, they will be fine. They scored three points in two games there. Ouch.
	17	Titans · Trends	19
	Watch out. They're coming fast. If they can beat the Colts this week, the schedule the rest of the way is favorable.
	18	Dolphins · Trends	16
	Did they blow their playoff chances at Buffalo? If they did, that halfback pass on their opening drive of the game could be the reason why.
	19	Texans · Trends	18
	When they learn to beat the Colts, then we'll take their playoff chances seriously. If they lose at Jacksonville this week, it could be the end of the Gary Kubiak era.
	20	Jets · Trends	20
	They're still alive, but barely. They still don't look close to being the team that jumped to a 3-0 start.
	21	49ers · Trends	23
	Alex Smith has five games to show he is their guy for the future. He looked comfortable against the Jaguars.
	22	Bills · Trends	24
	The team is playing better under Perry Fewell. But he probably has no chance to keep the job.
	23	Seahawks · Trends	25
	It's too bad they don't play the Rams every week. If they did, they might make the playoffs. Justin Forsett looks like the real deal.
	24	Panthers · Trends	21
	It's time to make a change at quarterback. Find out what Matt Moore can do. What do they have to lose?
	25	Bears · Trends	22
	Paging Bill Cowher. Paging Bill Cowher. Is there any doubt they will make a coaching change now?
	26	Chiefs · Trends	26
	That San Diego game was a reminder of how far this team needs to go. They are a long way away from competing.
	27	Redskins · Trends	27
	They're still playing hard, but it doesn't matter. Jim Zorn is still gone after the season.
	28	Raiders · Trends	28
	At some point they have to get a quarterback. There is talent going to waste on this roster.
	29	Lions · Trends	29
	They have some offensive talent. Now they have to fix that defense. Teams do what they want. Green Bay wasn't even challenged.
	30	Rams · Trends	30
	Will they win again? It doesn't look good. Now comes the big decision: Which quarterback do they take in next spring's draft?
	31	Buccaneers · Trends	31
	Who will Raheem Morris fire this week? Is it another loss, another firing? It's time the blame goes to the man at the top.
	32	Browns · Trends	32
	It has to be hard to watch this team, especially for Browns fans. The question now is whether Eric Mangini makes it for a second season.