Panthers game-by-game predictions after 2024 NFL schedule release

Week 1 at New Orleans Saints

Five out of the first eight weeks of the season, the Panthers will be on the road, starting with a trip to New Orleans to face the Saints. The Panthers have failed to win their opening game the last two seasons, but believe it or not, that could change here. WIN

Record: 1-0

Week 2 vs. Los Angeles Chargers

Jim Harbaugh is given a gift in his first two weeks. First, with the Raiders, then with the Panthers. Not exactly the best home opener for Carolina. LOSS

Record: 1-1

Week 3 at Las Vegas Raiders

Speaking of the Raiders, the Panthers make a trip out to Las Vegas and Allegiant Stadium in Week 3. The quarterback play in this one should be interesting. Canales will still be developing Young while the Raiders figure out if it’s Aidan O’Connell or Gardner Minshew behind center. The better roster wins, which is the Raiders. LOSS

Record: 1-2

Week 4 vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Canales and the Panthers face their biggest challenge yet against a legitimate Super Bowl contender in the Bengals. That is, of course, if Joe Burrow is behind center. Either way, though, the Panthers fall again. LOSS

Record: 1-3

Week 5 at Chicago Bears

If you’re a Panthers fan, you might just want to look away from this game. With the Panthers’ worst league record last year, they gave the No. 1 pick to the Bears after trading with them in the previous draft for their first pick to get Young. That definitely makes the matchup intriguing. Young will be out to prove himself. However, Panthers lose another road game. LOSS

Record: 1-4

Week 6 vs. Atlanta Falcons

One of the Panthers’ two wins last season came against the Falcons in a barn-burning 9-7 victory. Both teams should hopefully score more than that in this game, but the Falcons should put up way more. LOSS

Record: 1-5

Week 7 at Washington Commanders

It will be back-to-back road games for the Panthers, but at least they’ll face a team that’s in the midst of a major rebuild like them. But will new head coach Dan Quinn have this Commanders team buttoned up on defense? Will Jayden Daniels be behind center? Surely the Panthers can’t lose to the top two picks in this year’s draft, right? Panthers squeak by with a narrow victory. WIN

Record: 2-5

Week 8 at Denver Broncos

If there’s a time to get a hold of a Sean Payton-coached team, it will be in 2024. Cap casualties have kept this team from making any major moves and they may have more or less settled for drafting Bo Nix with their first-round pick. If anyone can make Nix work, it’s Payton. But the Panthers could gain a little momentum here. WIN

Record: 3-5

Week 9 vs. New Orleans Saints

The NFC South will probably come down to the Falcons and Buccaneers, making it a race between the Saints and Panthers for who finishes last. The Saints get their win back in Carolina. LOSS

Record: 3-6

Week 10 vs. New York Giants (Munich, Germany)

The Panthers might be welcomed more in Germany than they are in Charlotte. Apparently, they’ve built quite a fan base over there, thanks to marketing rights awarded to them by the NFL, according to the team’s website. This will be just their second international game, however, with their last a victory over the Buccaneers in 2019. The “home” team gets the win. WIN

Record: 4-6

Week 11 – BYE

Week 12 vs. Kansas City Chiefs

Hey, it’s the NFL and anything can happen, but we have to be realistic about this. The Super Bowl champs ease through this one. LOSS

Record: 4-7

Week 13 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Both games with the Bucs were close last year, but Tampa prevailed in both. Home-field doesn’t mean much in the Panthers’ case, but it could be just enough for them to sneak out a win here over last year’s division champs. Not to mention, this will be Canales’ first meeting against his former team. WIN

Record: 5-7

Week 14 at Philadelphia Eagles

Assuming things are going well with the Eagles and they’re back to their 2022 form, this will be a huge challenge for the Panthers. One that they won’t quite be prepared for quite yet. LOSS

Record: 5-8

Week 15 vs. Dallas Cowboys

I’m making a bold prediction now that this will be Mike McCarthy’s last game as the Cowboys’ head coach. It’s a wonder McCarthy made it through last year’s playoff pummeling. Now, the Cowboys enter a season where there’s not quite as much optimism. This would be a huge win for Canales in his first season as head coach. Panthers make a late-season upset. WIN

Record: 6-8

Week 16 vs. Arizona Cardinals

The Panthers could be riding a little too high after their upset over the Cowboys, and the Cardinals could be the under-the-radar team in 2024. Panthers lose at home. LOSS

Record: 6-9

Week 17 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Panthers haven’t been able to pick up a win at Raymond-James Stadium since October of 2019, losing four straight times there, according to The Football Database. They’re also just 1-8 against the Bucs since then. Maybe next year, Panthers. LOSS

Record: 6-10

Week 18 at Atlanta Falcons

If any of the hype turns into results, then the Falcons could be a team to watch out for in the NFC. They might even have the NFC South completely wrapped up here. But they could also be fighting for seeding. The Panthers try to play spoilers but can’t. They end the season with three consecutive losses but in a lot better shape than last season. LOSS

Record: 6-11