Here's where the Panthers stand in various power rankings following their 20-19 loss to the Lions.
Panthers rank: 9th (4th in NFC)
Previous rank: 7th
NFC South: Saints 1st, Panthers 9th, Falcons 17th, Buccaneers 27th
This week's opponent: Seahawks 12th
Beyond the numbers: Elliot Harrison addressed Carolina's Week 11 loss to Detroit head on, calling the Panthers' late two-point attempt "one of the odder decisions of 2018." Harrison attempts to decipher what happened, and surmises that, even if Carolina had the 21-20 lead, the likelihood of Stafford - who owns the most fourth-quarter comebacks since 2011 - being pressured in the closing moments seemed "doubtful." As far as his thoughts on facing the Seahawks, Harrison feels the stakes rising, writing, "Uh, kind of an important game, huh?"
Panthers rank: 9th (4th in NFC)
Previous rank: 10th
NFC South: Saints 1st, Panthers 9th, Falcons 21st, Buccaneers 28th
This week's opponent: Seahawks 13th
Beyond the numbers: Pete Prisco urges the Panthers to "turn it around" in Week 12 against Seattle after losing two straight. Also, as you may have guessed, he asked: "Why did they go for two against the Lions?" Never gets old.
Panthers rank: 9th (4th in NFC)
Previous rank: 9th
NFC South: Saints 1st, Panthers 9th, Falcons 20th, Buccaneers 27th
This week's opponent: Seahawks 13th
Beyond the numbers: Frank Schwab briefly touched on the now-infamous decision to go for two, but he focused more on DJ Moore. The rookie wideout earned a career-high 157 yards in Week 11, giving Schwab the confidence to say that the Panthers "might have finally found a real No. 1 to grow with Cam Newton."
Panthers rank: 10th (5th in NFC)
Previous rank: 9th
NFC South: Saints 1st, Panthers 10th, Falcons 20th, Buccaneers 27th
This week's opponent: Seahawks 11th
Beyond the numbers: The ESPN staff took the "what are teams most thankful" approach with their rankings, and David Newton picked Carolina's 5-0 home record. Newton believes that the Panthers should be playoff-bound if they stay perfect at home - three of their last six games are in Charlotte - and steal at least a game on the road where they are currently 1-4.
Panthers rank: 10th (5th in NFC)
Previous rank: 9th
NFC South: Saints 1st, Panthers 10th, Falcons 21st, Buccaneers 26th
This week's opponent: Seahawks 11th
Beyond the numbers: The B/R staff noted that the Panthers are "capable of playing at an elite level in spurts," but they lack the "robotic consistency" that the NFC's top teams in the Saints and Rams possess each week. Analyst Gary Davenport said he is no a longer a believer in Carolina. On to Week 12.
