CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Truth be told, the Panthers could probably do without a bye this week.
Coach Ron Rivera’s team is playing its best football since 2015, when it went 15-1 in the regular season and reached the Super Bowl.
The Panthers have battled back from losing their first two games to win their next four — three of those on the road — behind the surprising play of young backup quarterback Kyle Allen, versatile running back and MVP candidate Christian McCaffrey and a defense that’s hitting quarterbacks hard and taking the ball away.