North Charlotte Today

The Carolina Panthers are preparing for their final game north of the Mason-Dixon Line this season, facing off against the Philadelphia Eagles. The game is expected to start at 46 degrees Fahrenheit and cool down to 42 degrees by its conclusion. Despite the chill, both teams have been heating up, albeit at different rates.

The Panthers enter the game after two consecutive losses that were decided on the final drive, including an overtime defeat against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 13. Meanwhile, the Eagles boast a 10-2 record and are fresh from a significant 24-19 victory over the Baltimore Ravens.

This marks the first meeting between the Panthers and Eagles since 2021. Historically, Carolina holds a 5-8 record against Philadelphia. The Panthers have a mixed track record with a 2-4 home record and a slightly better performance on the road at 3-4. Notably, they have one playoff win against them from the 2003 NFC Championship Game.

A key player to watch is Saquon Barkley of the Eagles, who is experiencing an impressive season with 1,499 rushing yards and an additional 267 receiving yards. His current rushing total surpasses last year's leader Christian McCaffrey's entire season tally of 1,459 yards. Barkley is on track to challenge Eric Dickerson's single-season rushing record of 2,105 yards set in 1984.

Linebacker Trevin Wallace emphasized Barkley's capabilities: "You got to start preparing," he said Monday. "Like, ok, everybody needs to get to the ball because you've seen his highlights; you've seen the things he can do. So, he's well respected."

The Eagles also rely heavily on quarterback Jalen Hurts who leads an offense ranked fourth overall in the league. While their passing offense ranks lower at 28th with an average of 188.8 yards per game due to their run-heavy strategy, Hurts contributes significantly with his own rushing prowess—485 yards on 124 carries—and more rushing touchdowns than Barkley with twelve scores.

In addition to Hurts and Barkley’s contributions on offense, A.J. Brown averages an impressive eighteen yards per catch alongside four receiving touchdowns. DeVonta Smith is anticipated to return this week after missing two games due to a hamstring injury.

Defensively, Philadelphia excels as well; they lead in total defense allowing just 282.8 yards per game while ranking third in passing defense (178 ypg), seventh in rushing defense (104.8 ypg), and fourth in scoring defense (18.2 ppg). The defensive front has amassed thirty-six sacks so far this season driven by standout performances from Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith—each contributing four-and-a-half sacks.

The Eagles opted for rookie cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean who have collectively defended sixteen passes thus far this season while linebacker Zack Baun stands fourth league-wide in total tackles with one hundred eighteen.