Rapid Reactions: Panthers put up record day, beat Lions 37-23

CHARLOTTE — If anybody delivers higher than the Panthers tonight, it will solely be the man within the purple swimsuit.

Not like that man, the Panthers had been content material to do it on the bottom on Christmas Eve.

The Panthers introduced the presents and gave themselves an opportunity at a future that issues heading into the ultimate weeks of the season.

By beating the Lions 37-23 Saturday, the Panthers improved to 6-9, and gave themselves a shot to play for the NFC South lead subsequent week once they go to Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers are 6-8 and play the Cardinals on the street Sunday night time, however the Panthers have some early tiebreaker benefits primarily based on their 3-1 division file and a head-to-head win over the Bucs earlier this 12 months.

However that may wait. Saturday, they did what they wanted to do. And so they did it in a conventional method.

The Panthers ran for a franchise-record 320 yards, en path to a franchise-record 570 whole internet yards.

The earlier information had been 299 dashing yards and 548 whole yards.

D’Onta Foreman had 165 and Chuba Hubbard had 125, each profession highs.

It was additionally the Panthers’ fourth house win in 5 video games at Financial institution of America Stadium beneath interim coach Steve Wilks and their first house win in December since 2017.

It is exhausting to name it a Christmas miracle, as a result of that may be a cliché, and in addition as a result of they’ve achieved this earlier than — even when to not the identical diploma.

The Panthers have made a persona out of working the ball beneath Wilks, and bounced again properly from a 21-yard dashing output towards the Steelers final week (the fifth-fewest in franchise historical past).

Early on, the holes had been big, the results of an offensive line that was bullied final week pushing again.

And with that, the Panthers continued this most inconceivable of seasons and gave themselves (no less than) two extra video games which have which means.