When asked earlier in the week about needs for next season, Carolina Panthers coach Matt Rhule didn’t hesitate, almost defiantly saying he’s not looking past finding a way to beat Washington and the coach he replaced.
And that’s exactly what his team did on Sunday, putting Washington’s playoff hopes on hold with a 20-13 victory over former Panthers coach Ron Rivera.
If Rhule were thinking about next year, he would have found a way to throw the game and move Carolina (5-10) a step closer to the third pick of the NFL draft after Cincinnati (4-10-1) won earlier in the day.