For one night the Carolina Panthers played like they did last season when they were NFC champions and went to the Super Bowl. Just ask the Washington Redskins.

The Panthers have thrown a huge monkey wrench into the Redskins’ playoff hopes. Cam Newton passed for 300 yards and a pair of TD passes as Carolina upset Washington 26-15 in the Monday Night Football game.

Washington fell to 7-6-1 in the jumbled NFC wild-card picture. Dallas and the New York Giants are ahead of the Redskins in the NFC East, and the Redskins no longer control their own destiny.

Even though the 6-8 Panthers were out of playoff contention, the defending NFC champions gave one of their best performances of the year in beating the Redskins on their own home field.

The Panthers won despite not having Pro Bowl linebacker Luke Kuechly (KEEK’-lee). He had practiced all week after being cleared from the league’s concussion protocol, but was kept on the sidelines as a precaution.

Meanwhile, the Redskins Monday night jinx at home continued. The Redskins have lost 16 of their last 17 Monday night games at home.