The Carolina Panthers, with a huge upset win over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 10 and quarterback Cam Newton back in their pocket, were set to soar. Well, the flight’s now been delayed.

Here’s how the Panthers got grounded in the power rankings following Sunday’s loss to the Washington Football Team.

USA TODAY

Author: Nate Davis
Rank: 19 (-2)
Author’s take: “Really must have next two games (at Miami, Atlanta) if they’re going to be relevant during season’s final month. Good thing QB Cam Newton and RB Christian McCaffrey have baked-in chemistry as both try to navigate an offense neither has played in much.”

Touchdown Wire

Author: Nick Wojton
Rank: 22 (-3)
Author’s take: “Newton has provided a spark, as has the return of RB Christian McCaffrey for the Panthers in both the rushing and passing game. He had 119 total yards and a score along with Newton’s double. But since that side of the ball has been improving, their defense has been going in the opposite direction.”

NFL.com

Author: Dan Hanzus
Rank: 20 (-1)
Author’s take: “Cam Newton played well in his return to Bank of America Stadium, but it was his former backup who stole the show. Taylor Heinicke lit up the Carolina defense for three touchdown passes and the Panthers’ offense sputtered for much of the second half in a 27-21 loss, Carolina’s fourth consecutive setback at home. Newton ran for a touchdown and threw for two scores, but Carolina’s defense was unable to make key stops on a pair of Washington field-goal drives in the final five minutes. The Panthers will look to get back to .500 with a Week 12 matchup against the surging Dolphins..”

ESPN

Author: David Newton
Rank: 19 (-2)
Author’s take: (In reference to the franchise’s greatest Thanksgiving game.) “In their first and only Thanksgiving Day game, the Panthers made the most of it by returning two of Tony Romo’s three interceptions for touchdowns and improved their record to 11-0. They also knocked Romo out of the game with a collarbone injury that already had forced him to miss seven games. Cam Newton, en route to the NFL MVP, didn’t do much in this one outside of 12 rushes for 45 yards and a touchdown. It was the defense led by Luke Kuechly that carried the day. As Newton said, the defense brought its “A-game.'”

Our final take:

The Panthers had themselves a nice little setup going. Heading into Sunday, the next four weeks were to play out with 3-6 Washington, the 3-7 Miami Dolphins, a bye and the 4-6 Atlanta Falcons.

Unfortunately for them, they tripped in their first step towards a playoff push. The loss wasn’t overly concerning, as the visitors did play a solid game, but it was a missed opportunity to start a rather favorable run.

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