Panthers schedule: Top 5 all-time toughest Carolina fixture lists

1. 1998 (Tied 1st toughest in NFL)

The hardest ranked season the franchise has ever faced was one of its first. The Panthers schedule was tied-toughest in the NFL back in 1998 alongside the New Orleans Saints and the St Louis Rams. This daunting challenge proved too much for the fledgling franchise in just their fourth season.

This season was a struggle from the start for Carolina as the team stumbled out of the gate into an 0-7 record through Week 8.  When November rolled around the Panthers finally put together a win over New Orleans at home, before dropping two more games to the San Francisco 49ers and Miami Dolphins.

They won their first road game in St Louis the following week, before losing three straight games to the New York Giants, San Francisco, and the Washington Redskins. Wins over St. Louis and the Indianapolis Colts would round out the season on a slightly positive note.

The final record of 4-12 was the worst in franchise history at the time and resulted in the firing of head coach Dom Capers. This proved to be a blessing in disguise for the franchise, who were able to draft offensive tackle Chris Perry with a high-end second-round pick in 1999.