What Panthers-Falcons means for NFC standings in Week 18

The Panthers face the Falcons in Atlanta on Sunday. We break down what the game means for the NFL playoff picture.

The Atlanta Falcons head into Week 18 with a chance at a playoff berth, but they’ll need some help. The Falcons will host the Carolina Panthers at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday, with kickoff scheduled for 1 p.m. ET. Atlanta won the first game between these two, winning 38-20 at Charlotte in Week 6. The big difference since that game is that Michael Penix, Jr. has taken over at starting quarterback in place of Kirk Cousins.

Falcons playoff picture

The Falcons are 8-8 and sitting in second place in the NFC South. They are one game back of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Atlanta swept the season series, but cannot take advantage of that unless they can move back into a tie. If the Falcons lose or the Bucs beat the Saints on Sunday, Atlanta will not make the playoffs. If the Falcons win and the Bucs lose, Atlanta is headed to the playoffs.

If they manage to make the climb to the top of the division, the Falcons would face the Philadelphia Eagles in the first round of the 2025 NFL Playoffs.

Tiebreaker implications

This game has no tiebreaker implications.