There’s quite a bit of time between now and the start of what was revealed on Thursday night. Nonetheless, we can still garner up some interesting takes about the reveal of the regular season schedule.
So, here are our biggest takeaways from the Carolina Panthers’ 2023 slate.
A strenuous start
Carolina’s new coaching staff and rookie quarterback (assuming he starts) won’t exactly be eased in to kick off the campaign. They’ll start with a pair of divisional matchups—one in Atlanta and the other at home with the New Orleans—then move into a four-game stretch against Seattle, Minnesota, Detroit and Miami.
That quartet of games is compromised of three road trips and three meetings with playoff teams from a year ago—with the exception being the 9-8 Lions. But at least the Panthers will have a well-deserved bye in Week 7 after this gauntlet.
Welcome back to Monday
The second game of that aforementioned stretch will see the Panthers host the Saints for a Monday night matchup. This’ll mark the franchise’s first appearance on Monday Night Football since 2018, when they . . . hosted the Saints.
Carolina will also have a Thursday nighter against DJ Moore and the Chicago Bears in Week 10, already giving them a pair of prime-time features on the year. Thanks, Bryce.
The Great Quarterback Tour: Part II
Before ultimately settling on Bryce Young with the 2023 draft’s No. 1 overall pick, the Panthers embarked on an extensive search for their new quarterback—one headlined by a heavily-attended pro day tour. Well, they’ll get to see all of those quarterbacks again!
Week 8 and Week 9 will bring C.J. Stroud’s Houston Texans and Anthony Richardson’s Indianapolis Colts to town. And heck, they might even get to see Will Levis under center in Week 12’s visit to Tennessee.
Jugger-nots
The Panthers have the sixth-easiest strength of schedule, and it might have to do with the fact that they won’t be facing any of the league’s very elite squads.
Carolina’s slate includes just two of the eight teams who made it into this past postseason’s Divisional Round—the Dallas Cowboys (Week 11) and Jacksonville Jaguars (Week 17)—and zero of the final four. They’ll also play three of their final four games at home, possibly aiding a potential playoff push of their own.
