What’s most surprising about Panthers’ 4-1 stretch? It’s one of these two things
By Alex Zietlow and
Mike Kaye
Bryce Young of the Carolina Panthers celebrates a touchdown in the third quarter against the Green Bay Packers in the game at Lambeau Field on November 02, 2025 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Panthers upset the Packers, 16-13.
John Fisher
Getty Images
The Carolina Panthers are 5-4 in November after dethroning one of the best teams in football and are 4-1 in their past five contests.
The big question:
How?
That’s something Charlotte Observer writers Mike Kaye and Alex Zietlow discussed on their latest episode of Processing Blue. And “how” doesn’t just relate to their 16-13 walk-off win in Lambeau this past weekend ... it also relates Rico Dowdle’s emergence, and the offensive line’s resilience, and this defense pushing back against this can’t-stop-the-run narrative.
The duo, in addition to breaking down the “how” of late, also discuss the biggest surprise of the past five weeks, whether the Panthers’ quiet trade deadline day aligned with expectations, and if Carolina can emerge from Week 10 against the Saints with a win.
Listen to the latest podcast episode at the embed in this story, or download it on Spotify, Apple Music or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also check out the show on YouTube.
Mike Kaye writes about the Carolina Panthers for The Charlotte Observer. He also co-hosts “Processing Blue: A Panthers Podcast” for The Observer. Kaye’s work in columns/analysis and sports feature writing has been honored by the North Carolina Press Association (NCPA). His reporting has also received recognition from the Associated Press Sports Editors (APSE).Kaye previously covered the entire NFL for Pro Football Network, the Philadelphia Eagles for NJ Advance Media and the Jacksonville Jaguars for First Coast News. Support my work with a digital subscription
Alex Zietlow writes about the Carolina Panthers and the ways in which sports intersect with life for The Charlotte Observer, where he has been a reporter since August 2022. Zietlow’s work has been honored by the Pro Football Writers Association, the N.C. and S.C. Press Associations, as well as the Associated Press Sports Editors (APSE) group. He’s earned six APSE Top 10 distinctions for his coverage on a variety of topics, from billion-dollar stadium renovations to the small moments of triumph that helped a Panthers kicker defy the steepest odds in sports. Zietlow previously wrote for The Herald in Rock Hill (S.C.) from 2019-22.Support my work with a digital subscription
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