Carolina Panthers: Previewing the 2018 season schedule

By Raphael Garcia | Apr 23, 2018

ATLANTA, GA - DECEMBER 31: Cam Newton (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images) /

The Carolina Panthers have an intriguing setup to their 2018 NFL schedule.

The 2018 NFL season is inching closer and the release of the 2018 schedules has fans excited to look forward to what key matchups are going to happen when. The Carolina Panthers have an intriguing 2018 schedule that features some important matchups at critical times in the year.

The Panthers do not get any type of “easy” start to the season as they are set to face off against the Dallas Cowboys and Atlanta Falcons in Weeks 1 and 2, respectively. Along with their other expected opponents in the NFC South, the Panthers are scheduled to face the teams of the NFC East, AFC North and others featuring the Seattle Seahawks and Detroit Lions.

Perhaps one of the first things that jump off of the page is that the Panthers are scheduled to face the New Orleans Saints twice in the last three weeks of the year. This scheduling creates some immediate drama because it sets the stage for these teams to be playing for a coveted position in the NFL postseason.

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While there is no telling what will happen in the coming year, trends show that the NFC South tends to be one of the most competitive divisions in the league with an array of turnover that keeps people guessing. Carolina and New Orleans tend to remain two of the toughest teams in the division and putting them up against each other so late in the season creates a narrative that the NFL looks to leverage into a big matchup if both teams deliver in the weeks prior.

Another intriguing matchup is the Oct. 21 matchup against the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. In 2017, the Panthers played the Eagles in a very close game, losing 28-23. There were a number of close games that the Panthers have struggled through recently in which a small twist of fate would have turned things in the Panthers favor.

It’s clear that the NFC South is going to be a tough division. That has been the case for many of the recent years. But the question remains as to whether or not the Panthers can get the big wins against NFL Playoff mainstays that are not within the division.

The game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on November 8 is another that stands out on the list. This is the only team other than the Eagles that finished with a better record than the Panthers last season. The rivalry between the Steelers and the Panthers has been well known since the Charlotte-based organization joined the league.

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Just like all the other teams in the NFL, the Carolina Panthers have their work cut out for them if they are going to make yet another trip to the post season. Looking at their 2018 schedule there’s a few games that jump off of the page as must see moments that will dictate just how far this team has grown since the 2017 year. It’s still well too early to even begin to have those conversations, but knowing who the team will play and when next season is an important part of the debate.

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