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Following a 5-12 campaign in 2024, the Carolina Panthers are looking much more dangerous than they were last season. The franchise hit big in the 2025 NFL Draft, selecting playmakers in wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan and edge rusher Nic Scourton, while free agency brought valuable reinforcements like safety Tre’von Moehrig, running back Rico Dowdle and defensive tackles Tershawn Wharton and Bobby Brown III.Â
Coupled with expected internal improvement from quarterback Bryce Young and new faces, Carolina’s rebuild looks increasingly intriguing.Â
Courtesy of Carolina Panthers
Here’s a week-by-week prediction of how the season could unfold. Do the Panthers have what it takes to win the NFC South this year?
Week 1 at Jacksonville Jaguars: L, 0-1
The Panthers enter the NFL season on the road in Jacksonville at EverBank Stadium on Sept. 7. New season, new coach, new weapons. Jacksonville Head Coach Liam Coen looks to have the same effect he had on Tampa Bay’s Baker Mayfield on quarterback Trevor Lawrence.Â
Alongside a talented front seven, headlined by defensive end Josh Hines-Allen and defensive lineman Travon Walker, the Jaguars could give Young and his offensive line trouble.
Week 2 at Arizona Cardinals: L, 0-2
Entering year three, Cardinals Head Coach Jonathan Gannon has help for an average defense through edge rusher Josh Sweat, a former player of his from the Philadelphia Eagles.Â
A solid defense and improvement from wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. in year two will be too much for Carolina to handle across the board on Sept. 14.
Week 3 vs Atlanta Falcons: W, 1-2
The Panthers’ first division game and home opener against the Atlanta Falcons will be a hard-fought match, but Carolina should pull through for week 3 on Sept. 21. Atlanta will open the new season with a similar roster to last year; the key difference is their unproven quarterback, Michael Penix Jr.Â
Carolina, having the home-field advantage at Bank of America Stadium, will allow young talent such as McMillan to feel comfortable and acclimated on familiar turf.
Week 4 at New England Patriots: W, 2-2
New England opened the bank this offseason, signing plenty of big-name free agents like wide receiver Stefon Diggs. Despite the new faces, their young quarterback, Drake Maye, will need to perform well on Sept. 28. With lackluster weapons offensively, that may be a tough task this early in the season.Â
Carolina’s offense with weapons such as Dowdle and running back Chuba Hubbard in the backfield, in addition to a young receiving corps, should keep the Panthers consistently going throughout this matchup.
Week 5 vs Miami Dolphins: L, 2-3
Miami was ravaged by injuries last season, but the Dolphins still managed to finish with an 8-9 record. If healthy, the Miami Dolphins have a scary pass rush and burners at receiver that can dismantle Carolina’s secondary on Oct. 5 for a 1 p.m. showdown.
Week 6 vs Dallas Cowboys: L, 2-4
The Dallas Cowboys are still very talented despite trading linebacker Micah Parsons. Quarterback Dak Prescott, wide receivers CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, cornerback Trevon Diggs and defensive tackle Kenny Clark are all top-tier talents that will surpass the Panthers’ top guys on Oct. 12.
Week 7 at New York Jets: W, 3-4
The Jets are in an odd position, especially after their star guard Alijah Vera-Tucker was ruled out for the entire 2025-26 season due to a torn triceps. The Panthers should win this game on Oct. 19 as the team begins to mesh.
Week 8 vs Buffalo Bills: L, 3-5
The NFL’s MVP last season, quarterback Josh Allen, and a good defense are too much for a developing Panthers team to handle on Oct. 26 in Week 8.
Week 9 at Green Bay Packers: L, 3-6
Facing another playoff team from 2024 is not good for Carolina. The Packers added Parsons to a stout defense that will put Carolina’s offensive line to one of its hardest tests in the season on Nov. 2.
Week 10 vs New Orleans Saints: W, 4-6
The first meeting with the Saints in Head Coach Kellen Moore’s tenure on Nov. 9 should be a relatively easy win for Carolina. New Orleans has been on the decline the past few seasons, and this year looks to be no different, despite the new head coach.
Week 11 at Atlanta Falcons: W, 5-6
Facing Atlanta later in the season on Nov. 16 will be a similar result to the previous matchup from Sept. 26. Until Penix proves he can lead an offense, this Falcons team will need to rely on a shaky pass rush to win games.
Week 12 at San Francisco 49ers: W, 6-6
Week 12 for Monday Night Football on Nov. 24 will put Carolina’s win streak at three against the 49ers, who lost many key pieces this offseason. A Panthers win is more than possible while they ride the high of another win.
Week 13 vs Los Angeles Rams: L, 6-7
Even with questions around quarterback Matthew Stafford, the Rams’ defense remains among the league’s elite. Carolina will take a loss and fall to a 6-7 record at home on Nov. 30.Â
Carolina has a bye week in Week 14, giving them time to rest and recharge deep in the season.
Week 15 at New Orleans Saints: W, 7-7
The second time seeing New Orleans will pose as Carolina’s final win against a division opponent, which will set them with an even record.
Week 16 vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers: L, 7-8
The reigning NFC South division champions, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, return a similar team to last season, which defeated the Panthers twice in 2024. The result this year will be roughly the same.
Week 17 vs Seattle Seahawks: L, 7-9
Adding free agent quarterback Sam Darnold and wide receiver Cooper Kupp to a roster with few differences to the 10-7 team in 2024 will only make this Seahawks team even more of a tough late-season test.
Week 18 @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers: L, 7-10
The final game of the regular season leaves the Panthers at a 7-10 record after another loss to a division opponent.
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Final 2025 record: 7-10
Despite losing wide receivers Adam Thielen to the Minnesota Vikings and Jalen Coker to the Injured Reserve for four to six weeks with a quad strain, Carolina can still be a competitive team in an unimpressive NFC South and finish with a 7-10 record. McMillan, Dowdle and an up-and-coming defense should provide excitement in 2025.
The Panthers may not be ready to overtake Tampa Bay, but in a weakened NFC South, 8-10 wins are even reachable if Young continues to develop into the top-15 quarterback he appeared to be at the end of last season.