4 daunting games on the Carolina Panthers 2021 schedule

(Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports) Matt Rhule and Ron Rivera
(Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports) Matt Rhule and Ron Rivera /
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(Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) Sam Darnold /

What are some of the more daunting games on the Carolina Panthers’ schedule in 2021?

Excitement for the 2021 NFL season has reached a completely new level after the league officially released the schedule on Wednesday evening. The Carolina Panthers now know what order their opponents come up on the calendar, with their bye also confirmed for Week 13 for a second straight year.

This has the potential to be a hugely entertaining season where the Panthers are concerned. Matt Rhule’s team is going to be immensely fun to watch once again with plenty of dynamic weapons on both sides of the ball. But they will need new quarterback Sam Darnold to come through when it matters most far better than Teddy Bridgewater managed to accomplish in 2020.

Carolina lost an incredible eight games by one score last time out. This suggests they might not be too far away from being playoff contenders and if the additions acquired during free agency and the NFL Draft hit the ground running, it might see them enter the postseason discussion in Year 2 of Rhule’s reign.

It is a fine line for Carolina and it’s clear everything needs to go right. Some games will be more winnable than others, so starting well is going to be crucial in the pursuit of generating enough momentum to see them through a grueling campaign.

With that being said, here are four daunting games on the Panthers’ schedule that the team will need to be at the top of their game for in 2021.