# 2022 Carolina Panthers season

The 2022 season was the Carolina Panthers' 28th in the National Football League (NFL) and their third and final season under head coach Matt Rhule. They attempted to improve on their 5–12 record from last season and return to the playoffs for the first time since the 2017 season. After a 1–4 start from the team, the Panthers fired head coach Matt Rhule, along with defensive coordinator Phil Snow. Rhule was replaced with defensive passing game coordinator Steve Wilks, who served as the interim head coach for the remainder of the season. After a Week 16 win against the Detroit Lions, they improved on their 5 win total from the previous 3 years. However, they were eliminated from playoff contention for the fifth straight year when they lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers the following week.

## Offseason
### Signings

| Position | Player | Age | 2021 Team | Contract |
| C | Bradley Bozeman | 27 | Baltimore Ravens | 1 year, $2.8 million |
| G | Austin Corbett | 26 | Los Angeles Rams | 3 years, $26.2 million |
| RB | D'Onta Foreman | 26 | Tennessee Titans | 1 year, $2 million |
| P | Johnny Hekker | 32 | Los Angeles Rams | 3 years, $7.6 million |
| WR | Rashard Higgins | 27 | Cleveland Browns | 1 year, $1.1 million |
| DT | Matt Ioannidis | 28 | Washington Commanders | 1 year, $9.5 million |
| LB | Cory Littleton | 28 | Las Vegas Raiders | 1 year, $2.6 million |
| LB | Damien Wilson | 29 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 2 years, $6.9 million |
| FS | Xavier Woods | 26 | Minnesota Vikings | 3 years, $15 million |
| WR | Andre Roberts | 34 | Los Angeles Chargers | 1 year, $1.7 million |

### Draft

2022 Carolina Panthers Draft :
| Round | Selection | Player | Position | College | Notes |
| 1 | 6 | Ikem Ekwonu | OT | NC State | |
| 2 | 38 | Traded to the New York Jets | Traded to the New York Jets | Traded to the New York Jets | |
| 3 | 70 | Traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars | Traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars | Traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars | |
| 3 | 94 | Matt Corral | QB | Ole Miss | from Chiefs via Patriots |
| 4 | 111 | Traded to the New York Jets | Traded to the New York Jets | Traded to the New York Jets | |
| 4 | 120 | Brandon Smith | LB | Penn State | from Saints via Commanders |
| 4 | 137 | Traded to the New England Patriots | Traded to the New England Patriots | Traded to the New England Patriots | from Rams via Texans |
| 5 | 144 | Traded to the Washington Commanders | Traded to the Washington Commanders | Traded to the Washington Commanders | from Jaguars |
| 5 | 149 | Traded to the Washington Commanders | Traded to the Washington Commanders | Traded to the Washington Commanders | |
| 6 | 185 | Traded to the Buffalo Bills | Traded to the Buffalo Bills | Traded to the Buffalo Bills | |
| 6 | 189 | Amaré Barno | LB | Virginia Tech | from Commanders |
| 6 | 199 | Cade Mays | OG | Tennessee | from Raiders |
| 7 | 227 | Traded to the Las Vegas Raiders | Traded to the Las Vegas Raiders | Traded to the Las Vegas Raiders | |
| 7 | 242 | Kalon Barnes | CB | Baylor | from Patriots via Dolphins |
Draft trades
* 1 2 The Panthers traded second- and fourth-round selections (38th and 111th overall), and a 2021 sixth-round selection to the New York Jets in exchange for QB Sam Darnold.
* 1 2 The Panthers traded TE Dan Arnold and a third-round selection (70th overall) to the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for CB C. J. Henderson and a fifth-round selection (144th overall).
* 1 2 The Panthers traded a fourth-round selection (137th overall) and a 2023 third-round selection to the New England Patriots in exchange for a third-round selection (94th overall).
* 1 2 3 4 The Panthers traded two fifth-round selections (144th and 149th overall) to the Washington Commanders in exchange for fourth- and sixth-round selections (120th and 189th overall).
* ↑ The Panthers traded a 2021 third-round selection to the Houston Texans in exchange for a fourth-round selection (137th overall), and 2021 fourth- and fifth-round selections.
* ↑ The Panthers traded a sixth-round selection (185th overall) to the Buffalo Bills in exchange for DE Darryl Johnson.
* 1 2 The Panthers traded LB Denzel Perryman and a seventh-round selection (227th overall) to the Las Vegas Raiders in exchange for a sixth-round selection (199th overall).
* ↑ The Panthers traded OT Greg Little to the Miami Dolpins in exchange for a seventh-round selection (242nd overall).

### Trades

| Date | Trade partner | Panthers traded | Panthers received |
| July 6 | Cleveland Browns | 2024 Conditional 5th-round selection | QB Baker Mayfield |
| August 29 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 2023 7th-round selection 2024 6th-round selection | WR Laviska Shenault |
| August 29 | Tennessee Titans | Dennis Daley 2024 7th-round selection | 2024 5th-round selection |
2022 Carolina Panthers undrafted free agents :
| Name | Position | College |
| Josh Babicz | TE | North Dakota State |
| Davis Cheek | QB | Elon |
| Isaiah Graham-Mobley | LB | Boston College |
| Drew Hartlaub | S | Penn State |
| Ra'Shaun Henry | WR | Virginia |
| Talolo Limu-Jones | WR | Eastern Kentucky |
| John Lovett | RB | Penn State |
| Marquan McCall | DT | Kentucky |
| Arron Mosby | LB | Fresno State |
| Andrew Parchment | WR | Florida State |
| Charleston Rambo | WR | Miami (FL) |
| Khalan Tolson | LB | Illinois |
| Derek Wright | WR | Utah State |

## Preseason

| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
| 1 | August 13 | at Washington Commanders | W 23–21 | 1–0 | Fedex Field | Recap |
| 2 | August 19 | at New England Patriots | L 10–20 | 1–1 | Gillette Stadium | Recap |
| 3 | August 26 | Buffalo Bills | W 21–0 | 2–1 | Bank of America Stadium | Recap |

## Regular season
### Schedule

| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
| 1 | September 11 | Cleveland Browns | L 24–26 | 0–1 | Bank of America Stadium | Recap |
| 2 | September 18 | at New York Giants | L 16–19 | 0–2 | MetLife Stadium | Recap |
| 3 | September 25 | New Orleans Saints | W 22–14 | 1–2 | Bank of America Stadium | Recap |
| 4 | October 2 | Arizona Cardinals | L 16–26 | 1–3 | Bank of America Stadium | Recap |
| 5 | October 9 | San Francisco 49ers | L 15–37 | 1–4 | Bank of America Stadium | Recap |
| 6 | October 16 | at Los Angeles Rams | L 10–24 | 1–5 | SoFi Stadium | Recap |
| 7 | October 23 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | W 21–3 | 2–5 | Bank of America Stadium | Recap |
| 8 | October 30 | at Atlanta Falcons | L 34–37 (OT) | 2–6 | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | Recap |
| 9 | November 6 | at Cincinnati Bengals | L 21–42 | 2–7 | Paycor Stadium | Recap |
| 10 | November 10 | Atlanta Falcons | W 25–15 | 3–7 | Bank of America Stadium | Recap |
| 11 | November 20 | at Baltimore Ravens | L 3–13 | 3–8 | M&T Bank Stadium | Recap |
| 12 | November 27 | Denver Broncos | W 23–10 | 4–8 | Bank of America Stadium | Recap |
| 13 | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye |
| 14 | December 11 | at Seattle Seahawks | W 30–24 | 5–8 | Lumen Field | Recap |
| 15 | December 18 | Pittsburgh Steelers | L 16–24 | 5–9 | Bank of America Stadium | Recap |
| 16 | December 24 | Detroit Lions | W 37–23 | 6–9 | Bank of America Stadium | Recap |
| 17 | January 1 | at Tampa Bay Buccaneers | L 24–30 | 6–10 | Raymond James Stadium | Recap |
| 18 | January 8 | at New Orleans Saints | W 10–7 | 7–10 | Caesars Superdome | Recap |
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

### Game summaries
#### Week 1: vs. Cleveland Browns

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Browns | 0 | 17 | 3 | 6 | 26 |
| Panthers | 0 | 7 | 0 | 17 | 24 |
at Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina
* Date: September 11
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: Cloudy, 80 °F (27 °C)
* Game attendance: 72,205
* Referee: Brad Rogers
* TV announcers (CBS): Spero Dedes, Jay Feely and Aditi Kinkhabwala
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
No scoring plays.
Second quarter
CLE – Kareem Hunt 1-yard pass from Jacoby Brissett (Cade York kick), 10:49. Browns 7–0. Drive: 3 plays, 42 yards, 1:37.
CLE – Kareem Hunt 24-yard run (Cade York kick), 4:46. Browns 14–0. Drive: 8 plays, 78 yards, 4:33.
CAR – Christian McCaffrey 1-yard run (Eddy Piñeiro kick), 1:57. Browns 14–7. Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 2:49.
CLE – Cade York 26-yard field goal, 0:21. Browns 17–7. Drive: 9 plays, 52 yards, 1:36.
Third quarter
CLE – Cade York 34-yard field goal, 7:42. Browns 20–7. Drive: 13 plays, 58 yards, 7:18.
Fourth quarter
CAR – Baker Mayfield 7-yard run (Eddy Piñeiro kick), 12:51. Browns 20–14. Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 4:44.
CLE – Cade York 36-yard field goal, 6:14. Browns 23–14. Drive: 10 plays, 57 yards, 6:38.
CAR – Robbie Anderson 75-yard pass from Baker Mayfield (Eddy Piñeiro kick), 6:02. Browns 23–21. Drive: 1 play, 75 yards, 0:11.
CAR – Eddy Piñeiro 34-yard field goal, 1:13. Panthers 24–23. Drive: 7 plays, 64 yards, 1:01.
CLE – Cade York 58-yard field goal, 0:08. Browns 26–24. Drive: 6 plays, 35 yards, 1:05.
Top passers
CLE – Jacoby Brissett – 18/34, 147 yards, TD
CAR – Baker Mayfield – 16/27, 235 yards, TD, INT
Top rushers
CLE – Nick Chubb – 22 rushes, 141 yards
CAR – Christian McCaffrey – 10 rushes, 33 yards, TD
Top receivers
CLE – Donovan Peoples-Jones – 6 receptions, 60 yards
CAR – Robbie Anderson – 5 receptions, 102 yards, TD :
In the Panthers' home opener against the Cleveland Browns, they came close to winning, but the Browns were able to hold them off. Cleveland defeated Carolina 26–24, meaning the Panthers started off the season 0–1.

#### Week 2: at New York Giants

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Panthers | 0 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 16 |
| Giants | 6 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 19 |
at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
* Date: September 18
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: Fair, 73 °F (23 °C)
* Game attendance: 73,843
* Referee: Ronald Torbert
* TV announcers (Fox): Joe Davis, Daryl Johnston and Pam Oliver
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
NYG – Graham Gano 36-yard field goal, 12:50. Giants 3–0. Drive: 4 plays, 4 yards, 2:02.
NYG – Graham Gano 33-yard field goal, 2:30. Giants 6–0. Drive: 13 plays, 25 yards, 7:47.
Second quarter
CAR – Eddy Piñeiro 31-yard field goal, 12:15. Giants 6–3. Drive: 13 plays, 58 yards, 5:15.
CAR – Eddy Piñeiro 32-yard field goal, 0:56. Tied 6–6. Drive: 10 plays, 34 yards, 4:23.
Third quarter
CAR – D. J. Moore 16-yard pass from Baker Mayfield (Eddy Piñeiro kick), 12:27. Panthers 13–6. Drive: 3 plays, 67 yards, 1:00.
NYG – Daniel Bellinger 16-yard pass from Daniel Jones (Graham Gano kick), 9:19. Tied 13–13. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 3:08.
Fourth quarter
NYG – Graham Gano 51-yard field goal, 12:31. Giants 16–13. Drive: 9 plays, 58 yards, 3:24.
CAR – Eddy Piñeiro 38-yard field goal, 10:46. Tied 16–16. Drive: 5 plays, 55 yards, 1:45.
NYG – Graham Gano 56-yard field goal, 3:34. Giants 19–16. Drive: 11 plays, 37 yards, 7:12.
Top passers
CAR – Baker Mayfield – 14/29, 145 yards, TD
NYG – Daniel Jones – 22/34, 176 yards, TD
Top rushers
CAR – Christian McCaffrey - 15 rushes, 102 yards
NYG – Saquon Barkley - 21 rushes, 72 yards
Top receivers
CAR – D. J. Moore – 3 receptions, 43 yards, TD
NYG – Richie James – 5 receptions, 51 yards :
This was head coach Matt Rhule's first return to MetLife Stadium in 10 years, as he had previously served as the Giants' asst. offensive line coach under then-head coach Tom Coughlin in 2012, a season after the Giants won their 4th Super Bowl title. Things started poorly for the Panthers when, during kick-off, Chuba Hubbard fumbled the ball, and it was recovered by the New York Giants. New York ended up scoring a field goal on the ensuing drive. When Carolina got the ball back, they would fumble again and the Giants scored another field goal. In the second quarter, Eddy Piñeiro scores two field goals for the Panthers, tying the game. Baker Mayfield makes a complete pass to D. J. Moore in the third for a touchdown. The Giants answered back with a Daniel Bellinger touch down, tying the game at 13-13 going into the 4th quarter. The Panthers only scored three points in the fourth, while New York scored 6, giving the Giants a 19-16 win, dropping the Panthers to an 0–2 record.

#### Week 3: vs. New Orleans Saints

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Saints | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 14 |
| Panthers | 7 | 6 | 0 | 9 | 22 |
at Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina
* Date: September 25
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: Partly cloudy, 68 °F (20 °C)
* Game attendance: 70,496
* Referee: Carl Cheffers
* TV announcers (Fox): Dan Hellie, Matt Millen and Lindsay Czarniak
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
CAR – Marquis Haynes 44-yard fumble return (Eddy Piñeiro kick), 5:32. Panthers 7–0.
Second quarter
CAR – Eddy Piñeiro 45-yard field goal, 14:16. Panthers 10–0. Drive: 10 plays, 40 yards, 5:10.
CAR – Eddy Piñeiro 48-yard field goal, 2:56. Panthers 13–0. Drive: 10 plays, 52 yards, 5:36.
Third quarter
No scoring plays.
Fourth quarter
NO – Mark Ingram II 5-yard run (Wil Lutz kick), 12:31. Panthers 13–7. Drive: 10 plays, 89 yards, 3:28.
CAR – Laviska Shenault 67-yard pass from Baker Mayfield (run failed), 12:06. Panthers 19–7. Drive: 2 plays, 67 yards, 0:25.
CAR – Eddy Piñeiro 34-yard field goal, 8:19. Panthers 22–7. Drive: 7 plays, 19 yards, 3:00.
NO – Marquez Callaway 4-yard pass from Jameis Winston (Wil Lutz kick), 2:22. Panthers 22–14. Drive: 3 plays, 90 yards, 1:06.
Top passers
NO – Jameis Winston – 25/41, 353 yards, TD, 2 INT
CAR – Baker Mayfield – 12/25, 170 yards, TD
Top rushers
NO – Alvin Kamara – 15 rushes, 61 yards
CAR – Christian McCaffrey – 25 rushes, 108 yards
Top receivers
NO – Chris Olave – 9 receptions, 147 yards
CAR – Laviska Shenault – 2 receptions, 90 yards, TD :
The game started off well for Carolina in the first quarter when New Orleans fumbled the ball. Marquis Haynes recovered it and scored a fumble recovery touchdown for the Panthers. Carolina led by thirteen points at the half after Eddy Piñeiro kicked two field goals in the second quarter. Early in the fourth, Mark Ingram scores a touchdown for the Saints, giving them their first points of the game. Baker Mayfield completes a 67-yard pass to Laviska Shenault for a touchdown. They tried for a two-point conversion, but it failed. With 8:19 to go into the game, Piñeiro kicked another field goal for Carolina. With 2:22 remaining, Marquez Callaway scores a touchdown for the Saints, though it wasn't enough. Carolina defeated New Orleans 22–14, snapping a 9 game losing streak and improving to 1–2.

#### Week 4: vs. Arizona Cardinals

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cardinals | 0 | 3 | 7 | 16 | 26 |
| Panthers | 0 | 10 | 0 | 6 | 16 |
at Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina
* Date: October 2
* Game time: 4:05 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: Mostly cloudy, 65 °F (18 °C)
* Game attendance: 69,810
* Referee: John Hussey
* TV announcers (Fox): Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma and Shannon Spake
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
No scoring plays.
Second quarter
CAR – Frankie Luvu 33-yard interception return (Eddy Piñeiro kick), 12:13. Panthers 7–0.
ARI – Matt Prater 33-yard field goal, 3:34. Panthers 7–3. Drive: 8 plays, 50 yards, 3:19.
CAR – Eddy Piñeiro 54-yard field goal, 3:34. Panthers 10–3. Drive: 5 plays, 29 yards, 0:21.
Third quarter
ARI – Zach Ertz 2-yard pass from Kyler Murray (Matt Prater kick), 7:42. Tied 10–10. Drive: 9 plays, 89 yards, 5:08.
Fourth quarter
ARI – Matt Prater 39-yard field goal, 3:34. Cardinals 13–10. Drive: 15 plays, 57 yards, 9:26.
ARI - Kyler Murray 4-yard run (Matt Prater kick), 10:26. Cardinals 20–10. Drive: 2 plays, 5 yards, 0:42
ARI – Marquise Brown 23-yard pass from Kyler Murray (pass failed), 7:37. Cardinals 26–10. Drive: 3 plays, 31 yards, 1:36.
CAR – Christian McCaffrey 13-yard pass from Baker Mayfield (pass failed), 4:47. Cardinals 26–16. Drive: 9 plays, 74 yards, 2:50.
Top passers
ARI – Kyler Murray – 23/32, 207 yards, 2 TD, INT
CAR – Baker Mayfield – 22/36, 197 yards, TD, 2 INT
Top rushers
ARI – James Conner – 15 rushes, 55 yards
CAR – Christian McCaffrey – 8 rushes, 27 yards
Top receivers
ARI – Marquise Brown – 6 receptions, 88 yards, TD
CAR – Christian McCaffrey – 9 receptions, 81 yards, TD :
The Cardinals end up being too much for the Panthers and defeat them 26–16. Carolina falls to 1–3.

#### Week 5: vs. San Francisco 49ers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| 49ers | 7 | 10 | 7 | 13 | 37 |
| Panthers | 0 | 3 | 9 | 3 | 15 |
at Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina
* Date: October 9
* Game time: 4:05 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: Sunny, 68 °F (20 °C)
* Game attendance: 72,321
* Referee: Shawn Smith
* TV announcers (CBS): Ian Eagle, Charles Davis and Evan Washburn
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
SF – Tevin Coleman 9-yard pass from Jimmy Garoppolo (Robbie Gould kick), 11:40. 49ers 7–0. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 3:20.
Second quarter
SF – Robbie Gould 49-yard field goal, 12:56. 49ers 10–0. Drive: 8 plays, 38 yards, 4:14.
CAR – Eddy Pineiro 43-yard field goal, 7:59. 49ers 10–3. Drive: 9 plays, 53 yards, 4:27.
SF – Emmanuel Moseley 41-yard interception return (Robbie Gould kick), 0:43. 49ers 17–3.
Third quarter
CAR – Christian McCaffrey 19-yard run (run failed), 11:57. 49ers 17–9. Drive: 7 plays, 51 yards, 3:03.
SF – Deebo Samuel 4-yard pass from Jimmy Garoppolo (Robbie Gould kick), 6:32. 49ers 24–9. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 5:25.
CAR – Eddy Pineiro 37-yard field goal, 3:40. 49ers 24–12. Drive: 6 plays, 31 yards, 2:52.
Fourth quarter
SF – Jeff Wilson Jr. 1-yard run (kick failed, wide left), 12:31. 49ers 30–12. Drive: 12 plays, 75 yards, 6:09.
CAR – Eddy Pineiro 34-yard field goal, 6:51. 49ers 30–15. Drive: 12 plays, 59 yards, 5:40.
SF – Tevin Coleman 5-yard run (Mitch Wishnowsky kick), 3:15. 49ers 37–15. Drive: 2 plays, 3 yards, 0:51.
Top passers
SF – Jimmy Garoppolo – 18/30, 253 yards, 2 TD
CAR – Baker Mayfield – 20/36, 215 yards, INT
Top rushers
SF – Jeff Wilson Jr. – 17 rushes, 120 TD
CAR – Christian McCaffrey – 14 rushes, 54 yards, TD
Top receivers
SF – Brandon Aiyuk – 3 receptions, 58 yards
CAR – Shi Smith – 4 receptions, 69 yards :
The Panthers lose to San Francisco 15–37 and dropped to 1–4 on the year. This was head coach Matt Rhule's and defensive coordinator Phil Snow's last game with the Panthers, as both were fired in the days following the loss with Steve Wilks promoted to interim head coach. In addition, Baker Mayfield, who had another disappointing performance, was benched in favor of P. J. Walker.

#### Week 6: at Los Angeles Rams

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Panthers | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Rams | 0 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 24 |
at SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California
* Date: October 16
* Game time: 4:05 p.m. EDT/1:05 p.m. PDT
* Game weather: Cloudy, 72 °F (22 °C)
* Game attendance: 71,482
* Referee: Tra Blake
* TV announcers (Fox): Kevin Kugler, Mark Sanchez and Laura Okmin
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
CAR – Eddy Piñeiro 42-yard field goal, 8:38. Panthers 3–0. Drive: 12 plays, 51 yards, 6:22.
Second quarter
LAR – Allen Robinson 5-yard pass from Matthew Stafford (Matt Gay kick), 3:34. Rams 7–3. Drive: 13 plays, 73 yards, 7:58.
CAR – Donte Jackson 30-yard interception return (Eddy Piñeiro kick), 1:58. Panthers 10–7.
Third quarter
LAR – Matt Gay 21-yard field goal, 4:37. Tied 10–10. Drive: 12 plays, 87 yards, 6:46.
LAR – Ben Skowronek 17-yard run (Matt Gay kick), 0:11. Rams 17–10. Drive: 5 plays, 80 yards, 2:50.
Fourth quarter
LAR – Darrell Henderson 2-yard run (Matt Gay kick), 8:15. Rams 24–10. Drive: 10 plays, 61 yards, 5:17.
Top passers
CAR – P. J. Walker – 10/16, 60 yards
LAR – Matthew Stafford – 26/33, 253 yards, TD, INT
Top rushers
CAR – Christian McCaffrey – 13 rushes, 69 yards
LAR – Darrell Henderson – 13 rushes, 43 yards, TD
Top receivers
CAR – Christian McCaffrey – 7 receptions, 89 yards
LAR – Cooper Kupp – 7 receptions, 80 yards :
Carolina started the game off with a field goal in the first. Both the Panthers and the Rams scored touchdowns in the second, leaving them up 10-7 into the half. The Panthers went scoreless in the second half, while Los Angeles took control and scored 17. The Rams defeated Carolina 24–10. For the first time since 2016, the Panthers were 1–5. This was also the last game Christian McCaffrey would play in as a player of the Panthers, as he was traded to the San Francisco 49ers on October 20, 2022.

#### Week 7: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Buccaneers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Panthers | 0 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 21 |
at Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina
* Date: October 23
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: Sunny, 67 °F (19 °C)
* Game attendance: 71,941
* Referee: Craig Wrolstad
* TV announcers (Fox): Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma and Shannon Spake
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
No scoring plays.
Second quarter
CAR – D. J. Moore 20-yard pass from P. J. Walker (Eddy Piñeiro kick), 0:29. Panthers 7–0. Drive: 6 plays, 80 yards, 2:47.
Third quarter
CAR – Chuba Hubbard 17-yard run (Eddy Piñeiro kick), 3:11. Panthers 14–0. Drive: 3 plays, 77 yards, 0:49.
Fourth quarter
TB – Ryan Succop 27-yard field goal, 13:38. Panthers 14–3. Drive: 14 plays, 67 yards, 4:33.
CAR – Tommy Tremble 29-yard pass from P. J. Walker (Eddy Piñeiro kick), 9:33. Panthers 21–3. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 4:05.
Top passers
TB – Tom Brady – 32/49, 290 yards
CAR – P. J. Walker – 16/22, 177 yards, 2 TD
Top rushers
TB – Rachaad White – 6 rushes, 24 yards
CAR – D'Onta Foreman – 15 rushes, 118 yards
Top receivers
TB – Mike Evans – 9 receptions, 96 yards
CAR – D. J. Moore – 7 receptions, 69 yards, TD :
Carolina and Tampa Bay were both scoreless in the first quarter. With 35 seconds to go in the second, P. J. Walker made a 20-yard pass to D. J. Moore for a Panthers touchdown, putting Carolina up by 7 at the half. Chuba Hubbard scored a touchdown in the third, as Ryan Succop made a field goal for the Bucs in the fourth. Walker threw it to Tommy Tremble for a game sealing touchdown. The Panthers won 21–3 and improved to 2–5.

#### Week 8: at Atlanta Falcons

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
| Panthers | 3 | 7 | 3 | 21 | 0 | 34 |
| Falcons | 0 | 14 | 7 | 13 | 3 | 37 |
at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia
* Date: October 30
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
* Game attendance: 68,996
* Referee: Shawn Hochuli
* TV announcers (Fox): Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma and Shannon Spake
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
CAR – Eddy Piñeiro 37-yard field goal, 6:50. Panthers 3–0. Drive: 6 plays, 18 yards, 2:33.
Second quarter
ATL – Kyle Pitts 2-yard pass from Marcus Mariota (Younghoe Koo kick), 10:13. Falcons 7–3. Drive: 10 plays, 69 yards, 6:02.
CAR – D'Onta Foreman 2-yard run (Eddy Piñeiro kick), 4:51. Panthers 10–7. Drive: 12 plays, 75 yards, 5:22.
ATL – Lorenzo Carter 28-yard interception return (Younghoe Koo kick), 0:41. Falcons 14–10.
Third quarter
CAR – Eddy Piñeiro 42-yard field goal, 11:33. Falcons 14–13. Drive: 9 plays, 51 yards, 3:27.
ATL – Tyler Allgeier 25-yard pass from Marcus Mariota (Younghoe Koo kick), 1:40. Falcons 21–13. Drive: 8 plays, 62 yards, 4:45.
Fourth quarter
CAR – D'Onta Foreman 1-yard run (D'Onta Foreman run), 11:46. Tied 21–21. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 4:54.
ATL – Younghoe Koo 30-yard field goal, 7:33. Falcons 24–21. Drive: 8 plays, 68 yards, 4:13.
CAR – D'Onta Foreman 12-yard run (Eddy Piñeiro kick), 3:06. Panthers 28–24. Drive: 7 plays, 60 yards, 7:27.
ATL – Damiere Byrd 47-yard pass from Marcus Mariota (Younghoe Koo kick), 2:14. Falcons 31–28. Drive: 4 plays, 75 yards, 0:52.
ATL – Younghoe Koo 34-yard field goal, 0:36. Falcons 34–28. Drive: 4 plays, 2 yards, 1:03.
CAR – D. J. Moore 62-yard pass from P. J. Walker (kick failed, wide left), 0:12. Tied 34–34. Drive: 3 plays, 75 yards, 0:24.
Overtime
ATL – Younghoe Koo 41-yard field goal, 1:55. Falcons 37–34. Drive: 7 plays, 62 yards, 3:44.
Top passers
CAR – P. J. Walker – 19/36, 317 yards, TD, INT
ATL – Marcus Mariota – 20/28, 253 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT
Top rushers
CAR – D'Onta Foreman – 26 rushes, 118 yards, 3 TD
ATL – Caleb Huntley – 16 rushes, 91 yards
Top receivers
CAR – D. J. Moore – 6 receptions, 152 yards, TD
ATL – Kyle Pitts – 5 receptions, 80 yards, TD :
In a close game, the Falcons defeated Carolina 37–34 in overtime. The Panthers dropped to 2–6.

#### Week 9: at Cincinnati Bengals

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Panthers | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 | 21 |
| Bengals | 7 | 28 | 7 | 0 | 42 |
at Paycor Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio
* Date: November 6
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: Sunny, 70 °F (21 °C)
* Game attendance: 66,160
* Referee: Alex Kemp
* TV announcers (Fox): Kevin Kugler, Mark Sanchez and Laura Okmin
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
CIN – Joe Mixon 2-yard run (Evan McPherson kick), 9:42. Bengals 7–0. Drive: 9 plays, 90 yards, 5:18.
Second quarter
CIN – Joe Burrow 1-yard run (Evan McPherson kick), 14:37. Bengals 14–0. Drive: 10 plays, 71 yards, 5:50.
CIN – Joe Mixon 3-yard run (Evan McPherson kick), 7:29. Bengals 21–0. Drive: 9 plays, 59 yards, 5:09.
CIN – Joe Mixon 1-yard run (Evan McPherson kick), 3:45. Bengals 28–0. Drive: 5 plays, 42 yards, 2:51.
CIN – Joe Mixon 12-yard pass from Joe Burrow (Evan McPherson kick), 0:04. Bengals 35–0. Drive: 5 plays, 23 yards, 1:05.
Third quarter
CAR – Tommy Tremble 8-yard pass from Baker Mayfield (Eddy Piñeiro kick), 10:52. Bengals 35–7. Drive: 8 plays, 37 yards, 4:08.
CIN – Joe Mixon 14-yard run (Evan McPherson kick), 4:38. Bengals 42–7. Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 6:14.
Fourth quarter
CAR – Terrace Marshall Jr. 21-yard pass from Baker Mayfield (Eddy Piñeiro kick), 7:47. Bengals 42–14. Drive: 10 plays, 56 yards, 5:01.
CAR – Raheem Blackshear 2-yard run (Eddy Piñeiro kick), 1:29. Bengals 42–21. Drive: 10 plays, 62 yards, 2:18.
Top passers
CAR – Baker Mayfield – 14/20, 155 yards, 2 TD
CIN – Joe Burrow – 22/28, 206 yards, TD
Top rushers
CAR – D'Onta Foreman – 7 rushes, 23 yards
CIN – Joe Mixon – 22 rushes, 153 yards, 4 TD
Top receivers
CAR – Terrace Marshall Jr. – 3 reception, 53 yards, TD
CIN – Tee Higgins – 7 receptions, 60 yards :
In the first half of this blowout, Carolina was scoreless, in part due to poor play from Walker, who posted a 0.0 passer rating, while the Cincinnati Bengals scored 5 touchdowns, four of them from Bengals running back Joe Mixon. Walker was removed from the game in favor of Mayfield, as both teams scored 7 in the third quarter. The Panthers went on to score 14 in the fourth, and even though Cincinnati went scoreless, the Bengals kept their comfortable lead and won 42–21. Carolina fell to 2–7.

#### Week 10: vs. Atlanta Falcons

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Falcons | 0 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 15 |
| Panthers | 3 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 25 |
at Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina
* Date: November 10
* Game time: 8:15 p.m. EST
* Game weather: Light rain, 60 °F (16 °C)
* Game attendance: 72,029
* Referee: Adrian Hill
* TV announcers (WSOC-TV/Prime Video): Al Michaels, Kirk Herbstreit and Kaylee Hartung
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
CAR – Eddy Piñeiro 46-yard field goal, 6:59. Panthers 3–0. Drive: 10 plays, 41 yards, 4:22.
Second quarter
CAR – Laviska Shenault 41-yard run (Eddy Piñeiro kick), 4:34. Panthers 10–0. Drive: 2 plays, 43 yards, 0:52.
CAR – Eddy Piñeiro 49-yard field goal, 1:47. Panthers 13–0. Drive: 7 plays, 14 yards, 2:24.
ATL – Younghoe Koo 33-yard field goal, 0:00. Panthers 13–3. Drive: 8 plays, 60 yards, 1:47.
Third quarter
ATL – Drake London 7-yard pass from Marcus Mariota (kick failed), 6:15. Panthers 13–9. Drive: 6 plays, 42 yards, 2:46.
CAR – D'Onta Foreman 12-yard run (kick failed), 1:51. Panthers 19–9. Drive: 7 plays, 84 yards, 4:24.
Fourth quarter
CAR – Eddy Piñeiro 40-yard field goal, 9:22. Panthers 22–9. Drive: 11 plays, 54 yards, 5:25.
ATL – KhaDarel Hodge 25-yard pass from Marcus Mariota (kick blocked), 2:56. Panthers 22–15. Drive: 8 plays, 97 yards, 2:22.
CAR – Eddy Piñeiro 37-yard field goal, 0:10. Panthers 25–15. Drive: 4 plays, 0 yards, 1:40.
Top passers
ATL – Marcus Mariota – 19/30, 186 yards, 2 TD, INT
CAR – P. J. Walker – 10/16, 108 yards
Top rushers
ATL – Marcus Mariota – 3 rushes, 43 yards
CAR – D'Onta Foreman – 31 rushes, 130 yards, TD
Top receivers
ATL – Damiere Byrd – 3 receptions, 58 yards
CAR – Terrace Marshall Jr. – 1 reception, 43 yards :
Carolina sought revenge against Atlanta in this Thursday Night Football game after losing in a heartbreaker 11 days prior. The Panthers got their chance, winning 25–15 and improving to 3–7.

#### Week 11: at Baltimore Ravens

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Panthers | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Ravens | 0 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 13 |
at M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland
* Date: November 20
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: Sunny, 36 °F (2 °C)
* Game attendance: 70,677
* Referee: Jerome Boger
* TV announcers (Fox): Kevin Kugler, Mark Sanchez and Laura Okmin
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
No scoring plays.
Second quarter
BAL – Justin Tucker 32-yard field goal, 0:00. Ravens 3–0. Drive: 15 plays, 76 yards, 3:38.
Third quarter
CAR – Eddy Piñeiro 32-yard field goal, 8:07. Tied 3–3. Drive: 9 plays, 40 yards, 3:15.
Fourth quarter
BAL – Justin Tucker 37-yard field goal, 8:27. Ravens 6–3. Drive: 12 plays, 67 yards, 7:00.
BAL – Lamar Jackson 1-yard run (Justin Tucker kick), 7:16. Ravens 13–3. Drive: 2 plays, 31 yards, 0:58.
Top passers
CAR – Baker Mayfield – 21/33, 196 yards, 2 INT
BAL – Lamar Jackson – 24/33, 209 yards, INT
Top rushers
CAR – D'Onta Foreman – 11 rushes, 24 yards
BAL – Kenyan Drake – 10 rushes, 46 yards
Top receivers
CAR – Terrace Marshall Jr. – 3 receptions, 76 yards
BAL – Demarcus Robinson – 9 receptions, 128 yards :
Baker returned from the bench in a 13–3 low scoring affair that saw Carolina fall to 3–8. This was also the last game he'd play for the Panthers, as Sam Darnold was healthy enough to return, and Mayfield would soon be released by the Panthers, signing with the Rams.

#### Week 12: vs. Denver Broncos

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Broncos | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
| Panthers | 7 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 23 |
at Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina
* Date: November 27
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: Cloudy, 65 °F (18 °C)
* Game attendance: 70,644
* Referee: Clay Martin
* TV announcers (Fox): Chris Myers, Robert Smith and Jen Hale
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
CAR – D. J. Moore 5-yard pass from Sam Darnold (Eddy Piñeiro kick), 0:30. Panthers 7–0. Drive: 11 plays, 71 yards, 7:00.
Second quarter
DEN – Brandon McManus 27-yard field goal, 10:11. Panthers 7–3. Drive: 5 plays, 18 yards, 2:35.
CAR – Eddy Piñeiro 42-yard field goal, 4:42. Panthers 10–3. Drive: 10 plays, 51 yards, 5:29.
Third quarter
CAR – Sam Darnold 2-yard run (Eddy Piñeiro kick), 7:21. Panthers 17–3. Drive: 10 plays, 72 yards, 6:13.
Fourth quarter
CAR – Eddy Piñeiro 26-yard field goal, 13:33. Panthers 20–3. Drive: 7 plays, 67 yards, 2:19.
CAR – Eddy Piñeiro 36-yard field goal, 8:59. Panthers 23–3. Drive: 7 plays, 17 yards, 4:25.
DEN – Brandon Johnson 1-yard pass from Russell Wilson (Brandon McManus kick), 3:19. Panthers 23–10. Drive: 14 plays, 77 yards, 5:40.
Top passers
DEN – Russell Wilson – 19/35, 142 yards, TD
CAR – Sam Darnold – 11/19, 164 yards, TD
Top rushers
DEN – Latavius Murray – 13 rushes, 92 yards
CAR – D'Onta Foreman – 24 rushes, 113 yards
Top receivers
DEN – Courtland Sutton – 6 receptions, 75 yards
CAR – D. J. Moore – 4 receptions, 103 yards, TD :
Darnold's first start in the season saw the Panthers beat the Broncos for the first time since the 2008 season in a 23-10 score. The Panthers improved to 4-8.

#### Week 14: at Seattle Seahawks

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Panthers | 10 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 30 |
| Seahawks | 0 | 14 | 3 | 7 | 24 |
at Lumen Field, Seattle, Washington
* Date: December 11
* Game time: 4:25 p.m. EST/1:25 p.m. PST
* Game weather: Cloudy, 45 °F (7 °C)
* Game attendance: 68,672
* Referee: Bill Vinovich
* TV announcers (Fox): Adam Amin, Mark Schlereth and Kristina Pink
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
CAR – Eddy Piñeiro 47-yard field goal, 7:05. Panthers 3–0. Drive: 13 plays, 43 yards, 7:55.
CAR – Shi Smith 13-yard pass from Sam Darnold (Eddy Piñeiro kick), 6:44. Panthers 10–0. Drive: 1 play, 13 yards, 0:05.
Second quarter
CAR – Chuba Hubbard 2-yard run (Eddy Piñeiro kick), 12:35. Panthers 17–0. Drive: 12 plays, 74 yards, 6:52.
SEA – Tyler Lockett 4-yard pass from Geno Smith (Jason Myers kick), 9:26. Panthers 17–7. Drive: 7 plays, 67 yards, 3:09.
CAR – Eddy Piñeiro 32-yard field goal, 2:09. Panthers 20–7. Drive: 8 plays, 25 yards, 4:09.
SEA – DK Metcalf 12-yard pass from Geno Smith (Jason Myers kick), 0:16. Panthers 20–14. Drive: 9 plays, 46 yards, 1:53.
Third quarter
SEA – Jason Myers 27-yard field goal, 10:00. Panthers 20–17. Drive: 9 plays, 51 yards, 5:00.
Fourth quarter
CAR – Raheem Blackshear 8-yard run (Eddy Piñeiro kick), 6:57. Panthers 27–17. Drive: 10 plays, 74 yards, 5:26.
CAR – Eddy Piñeiro 39-yard field goal, 1:56. Panthers 30–17. Drive: 9 plays, 44 yards, 4:21.
SEA – Marquise Goodwin 24-yard pass from Geno Smith (Jason Myers kick), 0:16. Panthers 30–24. Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 1:40.
Top passers
CAR – Sam Darnold – 14/24, 120 yards, TD
SEA – Geno Smith – 19/35, 142 yards, TD
Top rushers
CAR – D'Onta Foreman – 21 rushes, 74 yards
SEA – Travis Homer – 9 rushes, 26 yards
Top receivers
CAR – Laviska Shenault – 4 receptions, 31 yards
SEA – Marquise Goodwin – 5 receptions, 95 yards, TD :
Carolina defeated Seattle for the first time since 2015, winning 30–24. The Panthers improved to 5–8, and with a Buccaneers loss, also allowed them control of their own destiny, meaning they were guaranteed a spot in the playoffs if they could win out.

#### Week 15: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Steelers | 7 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 24 |
| Panthers | 0 | 7 | 0 | 9 | 16 |
at Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina
* Date: December 18
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: Sunny, 46 °F (8 °C)
* Game attendance: 73,548
* Referee: Scott Novak
* TV announcers (CBS): Greg Gumbel, Adam Archuleta and AJ Ross
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
PIT – Najee Harris 7-yard run (Chris Boswell kick), 5:48. Steelers 7–0. Drive: 12 plays, 67 yards, 7:06.
Second quarter
CAR – D. J. Moore 5-yard pass from Sam Darnold (Eddy Piñeiro kick), 14:12. Tied 7–7. Drive: 11 plays, 85 yards, 6:36.
PIT – Jaylen Warren 2-yard run (Chris Boswell kick), 8:20. Steelers 14–7. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 5:52.
Third quarter
PIT – Mitchell Trubisky 1-yard run (Chris Boswell kick), 3:17. Steelers 21–7. Drive: 21 plays, 91 yards, 11:43.
Fourth quarter
CAR – Eddy Piñeiro 29-yard field goal, 11:52. Steelers 21–10. Drive: 11 plays, 64 yards, 6:25.
CAR – Eddy Piñeiro 32-yard field goal, 6:15. Steelers 21–13. Drive: 7 plays, 59 yards, 4:06.
PIT – Chris Boswell 50-yard field goal, 1:04. Steelers 24–13. Drive: 13 plays, 43 yards, 5:11.
CAR – Eddy Piñeiro 52-yard field goal, 0:19. Steelers 24–16. Drive: 5 plays, 29 yards, 0:45.
Top passers
PIT – Mitchell Trubisky – 17/22, 179 yards
CAR – Sam Darnold – 14/23, 225 yards, TD
Top rushers
PIT – Najee Harris – 24 rushes, 86 yards, TD
CAR – Chuba Hubbard – 4 rushes, 10 yards
Top receivers
PIT – Diontae Johnson – 10 receptions, 98 yards
CAR – D. J. Moore – 5 receptions, 73 yards, TD :
Mitchell Trubisky and the Pittsburgh Steelers were too much for Carolina, defeating them 24–16. The Panthers fell to 5–9, yet still maintained control of their destiny.

#### Week 16: vs. Detroit Lions

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Lions | 7 | 0 | 6 | 10 | 23 |
| Panthers | 7 | 17 | 7 | 6 | 37 |
at Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina
* Date: December 24
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: Sunny, 20 °F (−7 °C)
* Game attendance: 69,173
* Referee: Shawn Hochuli
* TV announcers (Fox): Chris Myers, Robert Smith and Jen Hale
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
CAR – Raheem Blackshear 7-yard run (Eddy Piñeiro kick), 11:57. Panthers 7–0. Drive: 5 plays, 78 yards, 3:03.
DET – Shane Zylstra 3-yard pass from Jared Goff (Michael Badgley kick), 8:38. Tied 7–7. Drive: 8 plays, 60 yards, 3:19.
Second quarter
CAR – Sam Darnold 3-yard run (Eddy Piñeiro kick), 9:35. Panthers 14–7. Drive: 8 plays, 91 yards, 4:42.
CAR – D'Onta Foreman 4-yard run (Eddy Piñeiro kick), 2:08. Panthers 21–7. Drive: 11 plays, 92 yards, 6:26.
CAR – Eddy Piñeiro 37-yard field goal, 0:00. Panthers 24–7. Drive: 7 plays, 68 yards, 0:59.
Third quarter
CAR – D. J. Moore 5-yard pass from Sam Darnold (Eddy Piñeiro kick), 9:12. Panthers 31–7. Drive: 7 plays, 74 yards, 3:34.
DET – Shane Zylstra 7-yard pass from Jared Goff (Run failed), 3:09. Panthers 31–13. Drive: 7 plays, 80 yards, 3:12.
Fourth quarter
CAR – Eddy Piñeiro 40-yard field goal, 13:13. Panthers 34–13. Drive: 10 plays, 47 yards, 4:56.
DET – Shane Zylstra 1-yard pass from Jared Goff (Michael Badgley kick), 3:46. Panthers 34–20. Drive: 8 plays, 87 yards, 1:50.
CAR – Eddy Piñeiro 36-yard field goal, 1:56. Panthers 37–20. Drive: 6 plays, 32 yards, 1:50.
DET – Michael Badgley 34-yard field goal, 0:36. Panthers 37–23. Drive: 8 plays, 62 yards, 1:20.
Top passers
DET – Jared Goff – 25/42, 355 yards, 3 TD
CAR – Sam Darnold – 15/22, 250 yards, TD
Top rushers
DET – Jared Goff – 3 rushes, 15 yards
CAR – D'Onta Foreman – 21 rushes, 165 yards, TD
Top receivers
DET – D. J. Chark – 4 receptions, 108 yards
CAR – D. J. Moore – 5 receptions, 83 yards, TD :
On Christmas Eve, the Panthers ran all over the Detroit Lions, beating them 37–23, as well as setting new franchise records in rushing yards in a game and total yards in a game. Carolina improved to 6–9, improving on their 5 win totals from the previous three seasons.

#### Week 17: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Panthers | 7 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 24 |
| Buccaneers | 0 | 10 | 0 | 20 | 30 |
at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
* Date: January 1
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: Cloudy, 73 °F (23 °C)
* Game attendance: 69,298
* Referee: Brad Rogers
* TV announcers (Fox): Kevin Burkhardt, Greg Olsen and Erin Andrews
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
CAR – Tommy Tremble 17-yard pass from Sam Darnold (Eddy Piñeiro kick), 11:39. Panthers 7–0. Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 3:21.
Second quarter
CAR – D. J. Moore 24-yard pass from Sam Darnold (Eddy Piñeiro kick), 7:51. Panthers 14–0. Drive: 8 plays, 57 yards, 4:09.
TB – Mike Evans 63-yard pass from Tom Brady (Ryan Succop kick), 2:10. Panthers 14–7. Drive: 4 plays, 80 yards, 0:52.
TB – Ryan Succop 22-yard field goal, 1:09. Panthers 14–10. Drive: 4 plays, 9 yards, 0:48.
Third quarter
No scoring plays.
Fourth quarter
CAR – Shi Smith 19-yard pass from Sam Darnold (Eddy Piñeiro kick), 14:50. Panthers 21–10. Drive: 7 plays, 91 yards, 3:47.
TB – Mike Evans 57-yard pass from Tom Brady (pass failed), 13:49. Panthers 21–16. Drive: 3 plays, 75 yards, 1:01.
TB – Mike Evans 30-yard pass from Tom Brady (Tom Brady-Chris Godwin pass), 6:47. Buccaneers 24–21. Drive: 8 plays, 92 yards, 3:06.
TB – Tom Brady 1-yard run (kick failed), 1:58. Buccaneers 30–21. Drive: 2 plays, 6 yards, 0:26.
CAR – Eddy Piñeiro 49-yard field goal, 0:59. Buccaneers 30–24. Drive: 8 plays, 44 yards, 0:59.
Top passers
CAR – Sam Darnold – 23/37, 341 yards, 3 TD, INT
TB – Tom Brady – 34/45, 432 yards, 3 TD
Top rushers
CAR – D'Onta Foreman – 13 rushes, 35 yards
TB – Leonard Fournette – 10 rushes, 28 yards
Top receivers
CAR – D. J. Moore – 6 receptions, 117 yards, TD
TB – Mike Evans – 10 receptions, 207 yards, 3 TD :
In a must win game, the Panthers visited the Buccaneers, and held a 14-0 lead at one point, but the Buccaneers were able to recover and win 30–24. Carolina fell to 6–10 and were officially eliminated from playoff contention.

#### Week 18: at New Orleans Saints

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Panthers | 0 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 10 |
| Saints | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
at Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
* Date: January 8
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST/12:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
* Game attendance: 70,118
* Referee: Alex Kemp
* TV announcers (Fox): Jason Benetti, Matt Millen and Megan Olivi
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
NO – Chris Olave 25-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Wil Lutz kick), 11:01. Saints 7–0. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 3:59.
Second quarter
No scoring plays.
Third quarter
CAR – Michael Jordan fumble recovery in end zone (Eddy Piñeiro kick), 6:45. Tied 7–7. Drive: 14 plays, 82 yards, 8:15.
Fourth quarter
CAR – Eddy Piñeiro 42-yard field goal, 0:00. Panthers 10–7. Drive: 6 plays, 31 yards, 1:20.
Top passers
CAR – Sam Darnold – 5/15, 43 yards, 2 INT
NO – Andy Dalton – 15/25, 171 yards, TD
Top rushers
CAR – Chuba Hubbard – 21 rushes, 69 yards
NO – Alvin Kamara – 23 rushes, 107 yards
Top receivers
CAR – Terrace Marshall Jr. – 2 receptions, 23 yards
NO – Chris Olave – 5 receptions, 60 yards, TD :
The Panthers are able to hold the Saints to a touchdown and win 10–7. They finished the season 7–10, capping off the first season since 2018 the Panthers won more than 5 games.

### Standings
#### Division

NFC South :
| viewtalkedit | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK |
| $^{(4)}$ Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 8 | 9 | 0 | .471 | 4–2 | 8–4 | 313 | 358 | L1 |
| Carolina Panthers | 7 | 10 | 0 | .412 | 4–2 | 6–6 | 347 | 374 | W1 |
| New Orleans Saints | 7 | 10 | 0 | .412 | 2–4 | 5–7 | 330 | 345 | L1 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 7 | 10 | 0 | .412 | 2–4 | 6–6 | 365 | 386 | W2 |

#### Conference

NFCvte :
| # | Team | Division | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | SOS | SOV | STK |
| Division leaders ||||||||||||
| 1 | Philadelphia Eagles | East | 14 | 3 | 0 | .824 | 4–2 | 9–3 | .474 | .460 | W1 |
| 2 | San Francisco 49ers | West | 13 | 4 | 0 | .765 | 6–0 | 10–2 | .417 | .414 | W10 |
| 3 | Minnesota Vikings | North | 13 | 4 | 0 | .765 | 4–2 | 8–4 | .474 | .425 | W1 |
| 4 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | South | 8 | 9 | 0 | .471 | 4–2 | 8–4 | .503 | .426 | L1 |
| Wild cards ||||||||||||
| 5 | Dallas Cowboys | East | 12 | 5 | 0 | .706 | 4–2 | 8–4 | .507 | .485 | L1 |
| 6 | New York Giants | East | 9 | 7 | 1 | .559 | 1–4–1 | 4–7–1 | .526 | .395 | L1 |
| 7 | Seattle Seahawks | West | 9 | 8 | 0 | .529 | 4–2 | 6–6 | .462 | .382 | W2 |
| Did not qualify for the postseason ||||||||||||
| 8 | Detroit Lions | North | 9 | 8 | 0 | .529 | 5–1 | 7–5 | .535 | .451 | W2 |
| 9 | Washington Commanders | East | 8 | 8 | 1 | .500 | 2–3–1 | 5–6–1 | .536 | .449 | W1 |
| 10 | Green Bay Packers | North | 8 | 9 | 0 | .471 | 3–3 | 6–6 | .524 | .449 | L1 |
| 11 | Carolina Panthers | South | 7 | 10 | 0 | .412 | 4–2 | 6–6 | .474 | .437 | W1 |
| 12 | New Orleans Saints | South | 7 | 10 | 0 | .412 | 2–4 | 5–7 | .507 | .462 | L1 |
| 13 | Atlanta Falcons | South | 7 | 10 | 0 | .412 | 2–4 | 6–6 | .467 | .429 | W2 |
| 14 | Los Angeles Rams | West | 5 | 12 | 0 | .294 | 1–5 | 3–9 | .517 | .341 | L2 |
| 15 | Arizona Cardinals | West | 4 | 13 | 0 | .235 | 1–5 | 3–9 | .529 | .368 | L7 |
| 16 | Chicago Bears | North | 3 | 14 | 0 | .176 | 0–6 | 1–11 | .571 | .480 | L10 |
| Tiebreakers ||||||||||||
| 1 2 San Francisco claimed the No. 2 seed over Minnesota based on conference record (10–2 vs. 8–4). 1 2 Seattle finished ahead of Detroit based on head-to-head victory, claiming the 7th and final playoff spot. 1 2 3 Carolina finished ahead of New Orleans and Atlanta based on head-to-head record (3–1 vs. 2–2/1–3). 1 2 New Orleans finished ahead of Atlanta based on head-to-head sweep. ↑ When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest-ranked remaining team from each division. ||||||||||||