The Panthers, at 7-6, are ironically the team with the best record in one-score games, at 6-1. Two of those wins came against two of the best teams in the NFC: the Green Bay Packers and the Los Angeles Rams. They also hold a slim three-point victory over the Dallas Cowboys, who have been trying to make a late playoff push.

Good news: at least to begin this stretch one analyst sees McMillan as a strong play. The Big Lead has McMillan ranked among the NFL's top 15 wide receivers for Week 15.

A former Panthers pass rusher, who spent all but four days of his NFL career in Carolina, announced his retirement on Wednesday.

The Panthers have an undeniably easier time knocking the four-times defending NFC South champions off of their throne if the Falcons triumph tonight. Remember, rooting for them to win doesn’t mean we’re rooting for them to look good. A win is a win, even if it comes at the “expense” of Tampa just looking plain awful on a short week.

Meanwhile in the NFC, the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles are floundering, the Detroit Lions might not even make the postseason and there's also no clear team-to-beat in their place, with only a single game separating the one seed and the seventh seed.

These teams met back on November 9 with the Saints winning 17-7. The New Orleans defense owned the day limiting the Panthers to a mere 73 yards rushing and just 175 yards of total offense. No doubt Carolina needs a more balanced attack this weekend.