Panthers schedule: Top 5 all-time toughest Carolina fixture lists
By Shane Norris
4. 2018 Season (Tied 5th toughest)
The Panthers schedule in 2018 was the fifth hardest in the NFL, tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers. With seven games against teams with nine wins or more and only four contests against opponents with six or fewer victories, it was a challenging slate.
What made the 2018 season especially hard for Panthers’ fans was the way that schedule unfolded. The opener, a low-scoring win over Dallas, saw the first major casualties of what would be a long season of attrition for the tight end Greg Olsen who left the game in the second quarter after re-fracturing his right foot. Tackle Daryl Williams also departed in the fourth quarter after re-injuring his right knee.
The game was still a win and something to be proud of. But that didn’t last long as a late comeback attempt in Atlanta fell short the following week. A win over Cincinnati Bengals set the team back above .500 going into an early bye week.
Next on the Panthers schedule saw them knock off the New York Giants thanks to Graham Gano‘s franchise-record 63-yard field goal. While the team got back Olsen and Thomas Davis, who was sitting out a four-game PED suspension in Week 6, it wasn’t enough to overcome the Redskins.
Carolina got things together and strung together three straight wins over the Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens, and Tampa Bay Buccanneers. This propelled them into playoff contention before a primetime game against the Steelers.
That fateful night set the stage for the rest of the season. One disaster led to another, including a hit by TJ Watt to Cam Newton‘s right shoulder, which many believe affected his accuracy for the remainder of the season.
That loss started a seven-game streak, broken only by Kyle Allen‘s Week 17 victory over the New Orleans Saints. The team finished a disappointed 7-9 and missed the postseason.