The Carolina Panthers needed help to get into the playoffs. Because they failed to take care of business on Saturday, they needed the Atlanta Falcons to win on

CHARLOTTE ( CAROLINA SPORTS LIVE) — For the first time in nearly a decade, the Carolina Panthers are heading to the NFL playoffs and fans everywhere are feeling the excitement. The Black and Blue will host the Los Angeles Rams this Saturday, Jan. 10, in the Wild Card round.

The road to the Super Bowl in the NFC goes through Seattle. The NFC South champion will be decided by the two teams that aren’t in the race for the division title. The Seahawks secured the No. 1 seed and won the NFC West with a 13-3 victory over the San Francisco 49ers on Saturday night in a showdown that had major ramifications.

If the Falcons lose to the Saints on Sunday, the Buccaneers will secure their fifth straight NFC South title. On the flip side, Atlanta can send the Buccaneers home for the season and put the Panthers in the playoffs with a win over New Orleans.

Running back Rachaad White says goodbye to Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans in his heartbroken reaction to the team losing the NFC South.

Follow live text and radio commentary on the final day of the NFL's regular season, with last two play-off spots and seeds to be decided.

It's been a long time coming for Tepper whose Panthers hadn't been to the playoffs since he purchased the team from owner/founder Jerry Richardson in 2018. That dubious streak came to an end in the strangest of ways — with the Falcons beating the Saints in a game between two teams out of playoff contention.