The Carolina Panthers’ full 2019 schedule was released last night.
Now that we know who and when they’ll be playing, let’s rank all 16 games based on their difficulty.
16. Week 3 at Cardinals (3-13)
Rookie head coach? Check. Quarterback conundrum? Check. Worst record in the league last season? Check. Holding the No. 1 overall pick doesn’t hurt, but Arizona has a deep hole to climb out of. Outside of Larry Fitzgerald and Patrick Peterson, this is a seriously lacking roster and no one player is going to change that. Pencil in a win here.
15. Week 13 vs. Washington (7-9)
Letting Kirk Cousins go and trading for a quarterback who’s four years older blew up quickly on Washington. Alex Smith may not play at all this season and Case Keenum does not qualify as an upgrade. Unless they manufacture a new franchise QB in the next four months, these guys will be easy pickings for most teams.
14. Week 2 vs. Buccaneers (5-11)
Like Kliff Kingsbury in Arizona, Bruce Arians is inheriting quite a mess down in Tampa. Even if he’s able to get Jameis Winston to stop turning the ball over, the Bucs have plenty of roster holes to fill and it’s going to take more than just one offseason to address them.
13. Week 6 “at” Buccaneers (5-11)
Thanks to the international series, the Panthers won’t have to travel to Raymond James Stadium this year, where they lost in 2018. Traveling to London is a bit of a wild card, but Carolina has still won nine of the last 12 meetings against the Bucs. If they don’t sweep, it’ll be their own fault.
12. Week 5 vs. Jaguars (5-11)
So, Nick Foles finally got his bag and will be paid like a true franchise quarterback. Now it’s time to find out if he’s worth it. Foles has had his moments (mostly in the playoffs) but it’s hard to see him leading this team anywhere special. The Jags have a lot of young talent but as long as the Panthers don’t lose the turnover battle they don’t need to sweat this matchup.
11. Week 8 at 49ers (4-12)
The Niners are a team that could be much better than their record last season. If Jimmy Garoppolo stays healthy, they’ll certainly be more dynamic on offense. That said, San Francisco is another team that has plenty of roster flaws to go around. Carolina shouldn’t have too much trouble here, even on the road.
10. Week 9 vs. Titans (9-7)
For a second overall draft pick, Marcus Mariota has not really developed into the kind of star QB1 one would hope for with that kind of investment. Tennessee does have a mean defense, though. The Titans ranked third in the league in fewest points allowed last season. This could go either way.
9. Week 11 vs. Falcons (7-9)
The Falcons got exposed by a number of big defensive injuries last season, but they should bounce back in 2019. The x-factor will be if all their recent additions to the offensive line result in an improved unit rather than one that just happens to be larger than last year’s.
8. Week 14 at Falcons (7-9)
Atlanta has given Carolina a tough time over the last few years. The Falcons have taken six of the last seven meetings between the teams and their only loss (by three points) coincided with a rare drop in the end zone by Julio Jones. If they’re going to win the NFC South this year, the Panthers have to at least split this series.
7. Week 15 vs. Seattle Seahawks (10-6)
If the Falcons have given the Panthers some trouble, the Seahawks have given them migraines. Since the Russell Wilson/Cam Newton era began, Seattle has won six of eight matchups in this rivalry, including a devastating defeat in Charlotte last season. This game comes at a critical time of the season and could have major playoff implications.
6. Week 4 at Houston Texans (11-5)
If anybody can relate to Cam Newton’s pass protection problems, it’s Deshaun Watson, who was sacked 62 times last season. Houston’s offensive line has since added Matt Kalil, who’s unlikely to help much. The Texans have a ferocious defensive front seven though which is guaranteed to give the Panthers some issues.
5. Week 16 at Indianapolis Colts (10-6)
Now that Andrew Luck is healthy, these Colts look like contenders again. Devin Funchess could also be a factor for them playing behind T.Y. Hilton. Their defense has come a long way, as well. Last season, they ranked No. 10 in total points allowed. Winning on the road in Indy would be a major feather in the cap for the Panthers.
4. Week 17 vs. Saints (13-3)
For the first time in a very long time, Carolina will be opening and closing the season at home. This could promise to be the most important matchup of the season, finishing out the year against New Orleans. It won’t be easy though. The Saints had won five of the last six meetings before the Panthers’ meaningless Week 17 win to end 2018.
3. Week 1 vs. Rams (13-3)
If you’re going to face a championship contender, it might as well come early in the year and at home. The Panthers will kick off the season against the reigning NFC champion Rams. While they’re more likely to be at full strength than the middle of the season, Carolina may have a chance to catch LA off guard before their offense really settles in. Unlikely as it might be, A Week 1 upset would set an excellent tone for the rest of the year.
2. Week 10 at Packers (6-9-1)
Going into Lambeau Field in the cold and coming out with a win is never an easy proposition. The Packers have also finally removed the stone from their shoe by firing Mike McCarthy and bringing in a more creative offensive mind with Matt LaFleur. Now off the leash, Aaron Rodgers is sure to present problems for any team he faces. If their defense improves in the draft, it will be very tough to beat them in Green Bay.
1. Week 12 at Saints
Playing in Green Bay in November may be inhospitable, but going into the Superdome is a tough task no matter the time of year and Drew Brees is notoriously difficult to defeat in this setting. However, if the Panthers can manage to steal a win on the road here, it will take a ton of pressure off for the stretch run of the regular season.
