Six Thoughts on the Panthers' 2023 Schedule

Takeaways from the Panthers' schedule release.

The 2023 regular season slate is officially set as all 32 teams unveiled their schedule for the upcoming season. The Panthers will host eight games at Bank of America Stadium, including a Monday night matchup against the New Orleans Saints and a Christmas Eve special against the Green Bay Packers.

Below are a few of my biggest takeaways from this year's schedule.

Important start to the season

It's not all that often that you get to open up the season against a divisional opponent, let alone two of them. That's the case this year with Atlanta on the road and then New Orleans at home. This will be a huge opportunity for Carolina to set the tone early and take a quick lead in the NFC South standings. However, a slow start could put them in the hole.

The return of primetime football

The Panthers had one primetime game a year ago - a Thursday night game against Atlanta. This year, Carolina gets two primetime matchups - Week 2 vs New Orleans (Monday Night Football) and Week 10 at Chicago (Thursday Night Football). The last time the Panthers were on MNF was back in 2018. When you have a potential star at quarterback these things will happen more often. For Bryce Young to get his first home start (I assume) under the lights, against a divisional opponent, is pretty cool.

October slate is brutal

I would even lump the Week 3 road game in Seattle in with this too. But weeks four-six are going to be a real test for this team -- vs. Minnesota, at Detroit, and at Miami. Each of these teams is expected to make the playoffs, so if they find a way to win two of these games, you know it's going to be a special season.

A chance to catch fire

After the bye week in Week 7, the Panthers will have a real chance of either getting back on track or continuing a strong start to the year. Following the bye, they have Houston, Indianapolis, at Chicago, Dallas, at Tennessee, and at Tampa Bay. The Cowboys are the only team here that the Panthers may not be favored against. The other five teams are likely to finish with a losing season and could pick in the top 10 of next year's draft.

Three-game stretch away from home

Playing three straight at home on the road or at home doesn't happen all that often. Last year, Carolina got three straight at home early in the season and this year, they'll be on the road for weeks 12-14. Being the away team is never easy but fortunately for Carolina, this three-game stretch is very favorable; at Tennessee, at Tampa Bay, and at New Orleans.

"You get a revenge game, you get a revenge game, you get a revenge game." - Oprah somewhere.

In Weeks 2 & 14, Shy Tuttle will see his former team, the Saints, twice and you could include Vonn Bell here too, who played for New Orleans from 2016-19. 

In Week 4, WR Adam Thielen will welcome the Minnesota Vikings to town, the team he has played for his entire career.

In Week 5, WR DJ Chark and running backs coach Duce Staley will make their return to Detroit.

In Week 9, head coach Frank Reich faces off against the Indianapolis Colts, who fired him mid-season after five-plus seasons on the job.

And in Week 10, Carolina heads to Chicago for Thursday Night Football where they will see DJ Moore.

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