The Panthers made two moves ahead of Sunday's game against the Saints.

Showdown in Texas. In the third game of their current four-game road trip, the Florida Panthers (15-13-2) will take on the Dallas Stars (21-6-5) at American Airlines Center on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET. The second and final meeting of the regular season between the two teams,

Todd Bowles might've given the Panthers some extra motivation.

One of the NFL's biggest surprises, Carolina (7-6) is coming off an impressive 31-28 win over the Los Angeles Rams. And while they are still on the outside looking in on the NFC playoff picture, the Panthers now control their own playoff destiny in the NFC South thanks to the Buccaneers ' loss to the Falcons on Thursday night.

Dallas adjusts lines with Duchene back, Steel joining Johnston and Rantanen, to face Florida’s Bennett-Marchand-Verhaeghe trio.

Good news: at least to begin this stretch one analyst sees McMillan as a strong play. The Big Lead has McMillan ranked among the NFL's top 15 wide receivers for Week 15.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Dave Canales went to bed at halftime of the Falcons-Bucs game Thursday night. When the second-year coach woke up Friday morning, he and the Carolina Panthers were in a position the franchise hasn’t seen in 10 years – alone in first place.

The Panthers are predictable. They are going to dump it in, seal the walls, and try to force the Stars to pass through the middle of the ice and make the extra pass. When the Panthers’ defensemen pinch, expect the Stars’ wings to try to stretch the zone as is their wont.