If the Panthers take advantage of the middle part of their schedule, they may have something to play for late in the year.
Very few believe the Carolina Panthers will give others in the NFC South much to worry about in 2024, but there's one particular spot in their schedule that provides an opportunity for them to get on a bit of a roll, gain some confidence, and find themselves in the thick of the division race deep into the year.
Yes, you read that correctly. There's a chance for meaningful football in December, but it all boils down to how the Panthers handle this six-week stretch that begins in early October.
10/6 at Chicago Bears
10/13 vs. Atlanta Falcons
10/20 at Washington Commanders
10/27 at Denver Broncos
11/3 vs. New Orleans Saints
11/10 vs. New York Giants (Germany)
This is it. This is the sweet spot. Sure, Carolina won't be favored in any of these games to begin the year, but this the runway for momentum. Everyone's all gushy over the Bears right now because of the additions of Caleb Williams, Rome Odunze, Keenan Allen, and D'Andrew Swift to go along with DJ Moore, but there will be bumps along the way. The two divisional games against the Falcons and Saints do pose a challenge, but they're both at home and if you're going to be taken seriously, you need to be able to win divisional matchups at home. Washington and Denver are in rebuilds and the Giants could be in a similar situation if Daniel Jones doesn't have a bounce back season.
To have any chance at securing a spot in the postseason, the Panthers have to be hovering a game or so over .500 following that matchup in Germany with the Giants. It sounds like a big ask, but when you look at the homestretch of the schedule, you can see why that is. Coming out of the bye week, Carolina will face Kansas City, Tampa Bay, Philadelphia, and Dallas - all of whom expect to be playoff teams. After a Week 16 date with Arizona, the Panthers close the year out with a pair of divisional road games against Tampa and Atlanta.
Take care of the "sweet spot" in the schedule and you'll at least be in the conversation.
