Just like that, the Carolina Panthers have sole custody of the NFC South lead. And they didn't have to lift a finger.
Head coach Dave Canales' squad has been turning up the heat on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for weeks. They're on the charge, while the reigning division champions are falling apart at the worst possible time. Fans were hopeful, but relying on the inconsistent Atlanta Falcons to do them a favor wasn't exactly encouraging.
However, this season has been crazy with more parity than ever before. The Buccaneers found that out to their cost, suffering yet another defeat under the primetime spotlight.