Where do the Panthers stand in NFL power rankings after Week 13 win over Rams?

Have the Carolina Panthers finally arrived?

If they have, they made a heck of an introduction to the playoff race this past Sunday—outgunning the NFC-leading Los Angeles Rams in one of the biggest upsets of the season. Behind the precision of quarterback Bryce Young, the reemergence of running back Chuba Hubbard and an opportunistic defense, the Panthers pulled off a shocking 31-28 win in Week 13.

Where has that triumph now left them across the power rankings as they head into their bye?

Here's where Carolina stands going into Week 14 . . .

USA Today

Rank: 17 (+3)

Author: Nate Davis

Take: Getting RB Chuba Hubbard reintegrated into the offense seems like a wise move. It sure paid off in Sunday's upset of the Rams, when he had a season-high 19 touches and 124 yards.

NFL Media

Rank: 18 (+1)

Author: Eric Edholm

Take: I'm not sure if there's a stranger team résumé -- or one that is more difficult to interpret -- than that of Carolina. The Panthers could end up as an 11-win team, yet their point differential currently sits at minus-50. And look at the results of their past three home games: a 31-point loss to the Bills, a 10-point loss to the Saints ... and an upset win over the red-hot Rams -- nominally the best team in a completely wide-open field -- with Carolina missing two offensive linemen and three key defenders. Over the past three weeks, Bryce Young went from red hot against the Falcons to ice cold at San Francisco, then back to hot in the win over Los Angeles. Did I mention Sunday's 31-point output was Carolina's highest of the season? I'd ask someone to make it make sense, but we're well past that point. Right now, the Panthers are a total wild card finally taking their bye, but the one thing we can make sense of is that their playoff chances almost wholly depend on how they fare against the Bucs in Weeks 16 and 18. The rest can be figured out by someone smarter than I am.

ESPN

Rank: 18 (+2)

Author: David Newton

Take (on team's x factor for final stretch): When [Bryce] Young plays well and limits turnovers, the Panthers have a chance. The past two weeks are prime examples. He had three touchdown passes and a season-high passer rating of 147.1 against the Rams on Sunday. The week before that, Young had two picks and a passer rating of 60.8 in a loss to San Francisco when the defense played well enough to win. With teams stacking up against the run, Young has to perform well in the passing game. -- David Newton

Pro Football Talk

Rank: 15 (+5)

Author: Mike Florio

Take:  What a difference running the ball makes.

CBS Sports

Rank: 19 (+1)

Author: Pete Prisco

Take: They beat the Rams by turning over Matthew Stafford and making timely plays on offense. They head into their bye one game behind Tampa Bay in the division.

Sports Illustrated

Rank: 18 (+2)

Author: Conor Orr

Take: Through 13 weeks of football, I’m making a case for Dave Canales to win Coach of the Year. Out of every turnaround in the NFL, this one has been the most stark and the least rooted in offseason personnel or staff changes.

The Athletic

Rank: 18 (+2)

Author: Chad Graff and Josh Kendall

Take: It’s been easy to discount what the Panthers have done this season — until now. They head into their bye week having knocked off arguably the league’s best team behind an impressive performance from third-year quarterback Bryce Young (15-of-20 for 206 yards and three touchdowns).

Bleacher Report

Rank: 19 (+1)

Author: Kristopher Knox

Take: The Carolina Panthers bounced back from last week's embarrassment in San Francisco and beat the hottest team in the NFC. The Panthers aren't playing consistently well enough to feel like legitimate Super Bowl contenders, but they might be the best team in the NFC South.

Carolina still trails the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the division because of winning percentage, but it still has two games against the banged-up Bucs left on the schedule.

The Panthers have an opportunistic defense and have found enough offensive playmakers that they feel capable of beating just about anyone when Bryce Young is "on."

Carolina heads into its bye with as many wins as it had in its previous two seasons combined.

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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: NFL power rankings: Where do the Panthers stand after Week 13 win?