Panthers have a near-perfect Week 5 without even taking the field
The Panthers had themselves a perfect Sunday, and they didn't even have to lift a finger.
The Carolina Panthers enjoyed a perfect Week 5 without playing a single game, thanks to losses by their rivals in the NFC South. As the reigning champions, the Panthers took advantage of an early bye in the 2026 schedule. Their position at the top of the division tightened after the New Orleans Saints lost to the Minnesota Vikings 23-13 at home.
Saints running back Aaron Jones and wide receiver Justin Jefferson were the standout performers for the Vikings. Later in the week, the Atlanta Falcons fell to the Baltimore Ravens in overtime, 30-23, thanks to an interception by Ravens quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who entered the game after an injury to Michael Penix Jr. Following the victories, the Panthers sit atop the NFC South at 2-2, with the Falcons, Saints, and Buccaneers trailing behind them at 2-3, 1-4, and 1-4 respectively.
While the Buccaneers' win over the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night prevented the Panthers' slate from being completely flawless, the team is undoubtedly content with the valuable rest for their injured roster. For more Panthers updates, follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
