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.

Dave Canales and Bryce Young have turned it around, positioning Carolina for an exciting sprint to the finish. They enter Week 14 off a thrilling victory over the Los Angeles Rams, but remain outside of a playoff spot. That will remain the case for at least one more week, however, since the Panthers are getting some much-needed time off.

McMillan reflected on his journey to the Panthers, noting the significance of pre-draft workouts with fellow player Bryce and the little signs that pointed to his eventual place with the team.

Panthers-Seahawks will kick off at 1 p.m. Sunday in Week 17 on CBS. It's an early start time for the Seahawks, coming in at 10:00 am Pacific time. However, they have done quite well in that window over the last two seasons, going 7-0 under head coach Mike Macdonald.

The Carolina Panthers and Seattle Seahawks can finally mark their calendars. The NFL has finalized its schedule for Week 17.

Jarius Wright, former Carolina Panthers player and current Sylvan Hills High School football offensive coordinator, was awarded the Panthers Legends Coaching Grant to improve the team's strength and conditioning resources.

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.

The Panthers' problems on third down are directly related to their inability to find good pass rushers, and to let their best go.