ANALYSIS: “Matt Rhule said Monday that Christian McCaffrey is unlikely to be active in Sunday’s finale against the Saints, which means the Panthers will finish their season having played 13 of their 16 games without their best player. When you factor that in, Carolina’s 5-10 record doesn’t seem so bad. In fact, this team feels like it’s on the right track, with Rhule on the sidelines. That Saints matchup could be important for Teddy Bridgewater. The veteran passer has experienced an up-and-down first season in Charlotte, but a strong finale against New Orleans’ high-ranked defense would give the Carolina brain trust something to think about in the offseason.”