The Carolina Panthers backdoored their way into the playoffs as the 8-9 NFC South Division champs.
They lost in Week 18 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but got the tiebreaker assist they needed from the Atlanta Falcons to make the postseason bracket anyway.
Now, pretty much everyone is assuming the Panthers will be one-and-done. But there's a point of intrigue to their matchup with the Los Angeles Rams: The Panthers already beat them once this season.
It was a crucial win to getting Carolina into the playoff race and eventually into the field. Can it happen again?
MORE: Why Browns' nightmare QB history doomed Kevin Stefanski
Well, one stat says the Panthers are a sleeper: They had eight wins this season as betting underdogs.
That's right, all eight of Carolina's victories came in games they were favored to lose.
"Carolina had eight wins as an underdog this season, by far the most in the NFL," ESPN's Dan Graziano wrote on Tuesday. "(The Steelers, Bears, Jaguars and Falcons each had five.) The Panthers will be the seventh team with a record of.500 or worse to host a wild-card game. Of the previous six, four won the contest."
The matchup does have some things working in Carolina's favor.
"Carolina's big wide receivers were a problem for the Rams' cornerbacks in the first matchup and could be again if the Panthers can do a good enough job of keeping the Rams' rush off Young," Graziano writes. "All I'm saying is it wouldn't be the most stunning potential upset of the first round."
MORE: Travis Kelce's potential last game before retirement was an absolute bummer
The Panthers are certainly an enigmatic team. They, and specifically their quarterback Bryce Young, have games where they can compete with the best. And then they have total stinkers.
It's one-and-done now. They'll have to be at their best. And sometimes this season, their best was more than good enough.
More NFL news:
- Malik Willis' free agency has everyone digging in
- A priest played a part in the Steelers' miraculous win over the Ravens
- Harrison Smith nearly played QB before his retirement decision
- Saquon Barkley doesn't matter as much to the Eagles as you'd think
- Falcons would've gone to the playoffs if not for the New York Jets
- The Colts ran a fake punt on first down