Wednesday night marked an exciting time for NFL fans as the league revealed the 2025 season schedule for all 32 teams, the Carolina Panthers included. While the opponents have been known since the 2024 season ended, fans can now look at how their team’s slate shakes out logistically and what the road ahead for 2025 looks like. Here’s my too early game by game predictions for the Panthers’ 2025 season following Wednesday night’s reveal:
Week 1: at Jacksonville Jaguars, Sunday 1 p.m.
Win (1-0): The Jaguars were a mess a season ago and underwent some significant changes in the offseason by bringing in Liam Coen as head coach as well as taking a big swing in the draft by trading up for Travis Hunter. The Panthers have a year with Dave Canales under their belt and a quarterback who finished last season with three straight games of a passer rating above 100. Carolina wins a close one to start the season.
Week 2: at Arizona Cardinals, Sunday 4:05 p.m.
Loss (1-1): The Panthers beat Arizona in Charlotte last year to eliminate the Cardinals from playoff contention. The Cardinals are the better team, however, and also are at home. Winning two straight road games to start the season is a tough task.
Week 3: vs Atlanta Falcons, Sunday 1 p.m.
Win (2-1): Carolina finally gets their home opener in week 3 against one of their division rivals. The Panthers went into Atlanta in week 18 last season and beat the Falcons in overtime of a game that they needed to have. Home field advantage helps out the Panthers in this one as they take the first meeting.
Week 4: at New England Patriots, Sunday 1 p.m.
Win (3-1): The Patriots may very well be the most improved team in the NFL next season as they now have a proven head coach in Mike Vrabel and were not afraid to spend their plentiful cap room in order to improve the supporting cast around franchise QB Drake Maye. The Panthers catch a break by getting them in week 4, when they may very well still be finding their identity. If this game were later in the season the result might be different.
Week 5: vs Miami Dolphins, Sunday 1 p.m.
Loss (3-2): The Dolphins have some very real question marks entering the 2025 season, most notably how healthy Tua Tagovailoa can stay over the course of an entire season. Assuming he is healthy, Miami’s offense is a tough one to stop as long as it isn’t cold, which it won’t be in Charlotte in early October. Carolina did make a point of vastly improving their defense in the offseason but the Dolphins possess a ridiculous amount of speed that will give the Panthers problems.
Week 6: vs Dallas Cowboys, Sunday 1 p.m.
Loss (3-3): Nobody in the league knows what to make of the Cowboys entering 2025. If Dak Prescott remains healthy, they should be able to score points, but they also have a new head coach in Brian Schottenheimer. The Panthers lost to Cooper Rush last year, however, and adding George Pickens to compliment CeeDee Lamb will give Carolina their second straight week of facing two very good wide receivers after matching up with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle the week before.
Week 7: at New York Jets, Sunday 1 p.m.
Win (4-3): The Jets finally ended the Aaron Rodgers saga and brought in Aaron Glenn as their next head coach while adding Justin Fields as their hopeful quarterback of the future. These steps were all necessary ones for them to take but they’re still aways out from being a serious contender. The Panthers are a step ahead in their team building process.
Week 8: vs Buffalo Bills, Sunday 1 p.m.
Loss (4-4): On paper right now, this is Carolina’s toughest game on the schedule. The Bills should be locked and loaded for a run at the Super Bowl, have the reigning league MVP and also have their bye week right before this game. It would be a massive statement to the league if the Panthers pulled off the upset.
Week 9: at Green Bay Packers, Sunday 1 p.m.
Loss (4-5): Having to take a trip up to Lambeau right after facing Buffalo is a tough two week stretch for Carolina. The Packers are simply the better team and are at home. The Panthers fall below .500 for the first time all season.
Week 10: vs New Orleans Saints, Sunday 1 p.m.
Win (5-5): The Saints more than likely will be one of football’s worst teams next season. Who their starting quarterback is by this point is anyone’s guess. Prime bounce back spot for the Panthers.
Week 11: at Atlanta Falcons, Sunday 1 p.m.
Loss (5-6): Carolina and Atlanta may very well be battling for second in the division this season. After the Panthers take the first matchup in Charlotte, they fall on the road in the second go around.
Week 12: at San Francisco 49ers, Monday 8:15 p.m.
Loss (5-7): The Panthers get their first primetime game in two years and will face an old friend in Christian McCaffrey. That being said, this is a tough spot for Carolina having to travel across the country and face what should be a revitalized 49ers team that was ravaged with injuries in 2024.
Week 13: vs Los Angeles Rams, Sunday 1 p.m.
Loss (5-8): There is a path to victory in this game for the Panthers, especially with a west coast team coming east for a 1 p.m. kickoff. The Rams are one west team that never seems to struggle with the time change, however. They have too much star power, especially on offense for Carolina to handle.
Week 14: Bye Week
Week 14 is a pretty late time in the season to have a bye week but the Panthers will need it after a rough three games, at least in this projection.
Week 15: at New Orleans Saints, Sunday 4:25 p.m.
Win (6-8): Copy and paste from week 10, though this one may be a tad tougher on the road. The bye week should mean the team is well rested and prepared to end a three-game losing streak.
Week 16: vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday 1 p.m.
Loss (6-9): The Panthers don’t face the four-time defending division champion Bucs for the first time until very late in the season. Carolina nearly pulled off a home win against Tampa last season but wound up dropping a close one in overtime. The Buccaneers have owned the Panthers in recent years with five straight wins and nine of 10 since the start of the 2020 season. Until Carolina proves they can beat the Bucs consistently, it’s hard to pick them for a win.
Week 17: vs Seattle Seahawks, TBD
Win (7-9): The Seahawks had perhaps the most confusing offseason of any team in the league. Moving on from DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and Geno Smith while bringing in Sam Darnold and Cooper Kupp was a lot of change, and that’s only on offense. If Darnold plays like he did in 2024, it will end up being a very successful investment but the questions about how he does away from Minnesota are very real. This is a long trip for Seattle, Carolina will win their home finale.
Week 18: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, TBD
Loss (7-10): If the Bucs have nothing to play for, the Panthers could certainly win this game. If they need this game, it’s copy and paste from above as the Bucs have a lot of star power on offense and will be at home this time.
Final thoughts: Carolina certainly has very real momentum established from how they closed out 2024 winning two of three and also playing both Super Bowl teams to one score games after the bye week. Their schedule for 2025 appears rather favorable, at least on paper. If they can steal one or two games against some of the tougher opponents they play in the middle of the season, contending for a playoff berth isn’t entirely out of the question. Only time will tell how these predictions age come September.