Carolina (5-8) needs 10 games to break right, not the least of which is having Washington (7-5-1) tie another game -- but not Monday night when it hosts the Panthers.
According to ESPN, no NFL team has finished with two ties since overtime was added to regular-season games in 1974.
Heres what has to happen for the Panthers to extend their season:
--Carolina has to win out.
--Tampa Bay (8-6) needs to lose its last two games, including its Jan. 1 date with the Panthers.
--Green Bay (8-6) loses its final two games.
--Minnesota (7-7) has to knock off the Packers, but fall to Chicago in Week 17.
--New Orleans (6-8) needs to defeat the Bucs, but lose its regular-season finale at Atlanta.
--And then the biggie ... Washington needs to go 0-1-1 over its final two games after losing to Carolina on Monday night.