Here's where the Panthers stand in various power rankings following their Week 6 loss to Washington.
Panthers rank: 8th (5th in NFC)
Previous rank: 5th
NFC South: Saints 4th, Panthers 8th, Buccaneers 21st, Falcons 24th
This week's opponent: Eagles 6th
Beyond the numbers: Despite his two first-half fumbles against the Redskins, rookie wideout DJ Moore is still a big part of Carolina's success in Schwab's opinion. Schwab suggests that Moore bouncing back from the early turnovers and finishing with four catches for 59 yards and an 18-yard run is a good sign. "The Panthers still need Moore to play a big role in their passing game," Schwab wrote.
Panthers rank: 9th (4th in NFC)
Previous rank: 5th
NFC South: Saints 4th, Panthers 9th, Falcons 23rd, Buccaneers 25th
This week's opponent: Eagles 12th
Beyond the numbers: After sitting at five for the past few weeks, Carolina dropped four spots in Elliot Harrison's rankings after Week 6. Harrison acknowledges the Panthers' effort to erase the 17-0 deficit but believes the "sluggish effort" shown in the first half hampered them throughout.
Panthers rank: 13th (6th in NFC)
Previous rank: 8th
NFC South: Saints 4th, Panthers 13th, Falcons 19th, Buccaneers 26th
This week's opponent: Eagles 6th
Beyond the numbers: The ESPN staff gives the Panthers the second-highest chance of making the playoffs - 35 percent - in the NFC South behind New Orleans' 79.5 percent. They credited the success on the ground of running back Christian McCaffrey and quarterback Cam Newton as a key factor. Newton (208 yards) leads all QBs in total rushing yards while McCaffrey (349) ranks 12th among RBs.
Panthers rank: 14th ( in NFC)
Previous rank: 7th
NFC South: Saints 3rd, Panthers 14th, Falcons 20th, Buccaneers 21st
This week's opponent: Eagles 9th
Beyond the numbers: Analyst Gary Davenport was very critical of Carolina's Week 6 performance. "Games like this are why I get nervous every time I slot the Panthers inside the top 10," wrote Davenport. He went on to add that he feels the gap between the Panthers and the division-leading Saints (4-1) has dramatically increased.
Panthers rank: 15th (8th in NFC)
Previous rank: 6th
NFC South: Saints 2nd, Panthers 15th, Falcons 23rd, Buccaneers 25th
This week's opponent: Eagles 13th
Beyond the numbers: "What happened against the Redskins? They didn't seem like a potential playoff team that day." That was Pete Prisco's brutally honest take after Carolina's 23-17 loss. The Panthers, one of the NFL's least penalized teams since head Ron Rivera took over in 2011, had eight penalties. Turnovers were an even bigger issue; Carolina had three - two of which led to scoring drives - while Washington had zero.
View some of the favorite photos from Panthers at Washington by team photographer Melissa Melvin-Rodriguez.
