The Carolina Panthers were completely embarrassed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 7. They were dominated on both sides of the line of scrimmage, their run defense faltered miserably and they ended up falling to a banged-up, one-win team on their final breath.
As you might expect, the 43-13 loss cost them several spots in power rankings around the web this week.
Here's a roundup of where they stand going into Week 8 . . .
USA Today Sports
Rank: 19 (-9)
Author: Nate Davis
Take: Anomaly or worrisome reversion? QB Bryce Young threw for 163 yards and turned the ball over three times in Sunday's blowout loss to Baker's Bucs, looking like the player he'd been for most of his first three seasons − after Young had averaged a league-best 309.8 passing yards through his first five
starts of 2026 with just two giveaways. So do we believe in Young's history? Or his recent history?
NFL Media
Rank: 20 (-7)
Author: Nick Shook
Take: All the good vibes that followed the Panthers from their win over the Eagles evaporated by halftime Sunday. Carolina could do very little right, producing a clunker of a performance that we haven’t seen from this team since last season and leaving the door open for one of its division foes to climb back into the race for the NFC South crown.
ESPN
Rank: 18 (-3)
Author: Mike Kaye
Take: The Panthers' defense has been up and down this season, but it has been hard to question Lloyd's role as the alpha linebacker in the middle of the unit. He missed the team's Week 3 loss to the Browns, but he has made an impact as a playmaker and blitzer with 39 tackles, two sacks, two interceptions and a defensive touchdown in his five appearances. Lloyd has been well worth the three-year, $45 million deal he received in free agency.
CBS Sports
Rank: 18 (-4)
Author: Pete Prisco
Take: Just when we are ready to crown them the best team in the division, they lay a big egg against the Bucs. So much for the Bryce Young-MVP talk.
Sports Illustrated
Rank: 20 (-7)
Author: Conor Orr
Take: The Panthers losing Taylor Moton may have been the worst part of the tail whipping at the hands of Tampa Bay. But Dave Canales saying this isn’t the norm isn’t true. The Panthers have been the victim of a few untimely topplings over the course of his era.
The Athletic
Rank: 20 (-5)
Author: Chad Graff and Josh Kendall
Take: Really, it was the whole team that looked asleep in a first half that included a blocked kick, a sack-fumble, an interception and a dropped punt. Young, who had been among the league leaders in passing yards, ended up 14-for-27 for 163 yards and two picks as the score got out of hand in a hurry.
Bleacher Report
Rank: 18 (-7)
Author: Gary Davenport
Take: The Panthers came into Week 7 ranked 32nd in yards per carry allowed, and they failed to slow the Buccaneers (258 rushing yards) even after Tampa built an early lead and leaned heavily on the run. A large early deficit also placed a lot of pressure on quarterback Bryce Young, who threw a pair of picks and watched a sack-fumble get returned for a touchdown.
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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Where the Panthers stand in NFL power rankings going into Week 8
