Optimism is growing around the Carolina Panthers. It's been years since the fan base had any semblance of hope or expectation. The new regime is turning the tide, and they'll harbor lofty ambitions to continue this trend when competitive action resumes.
Dave Canales finally got a tune out of his players over the second half of 2024. It took a while, but the Panthers were more competitive. They picked up some positive results and went toe-to-toe with some of the league's heavyweights. And they did this with a historically bad defense holding them back.
Dan Morgan worked hard to rectify these issues throughout the offseason. They haven't solved every complication, but there's more balance to the roster now. And if quarterback Bryce Young continues to ascend, that's only going to help.
With this in mind, we made an early projection of how things could unfold in these game-by-game predictions.
Game-by-game predictions for the Carolina Panthers in 2025
Carolina Panthers at Jaguars — Week 1
- Date: Sunday, September 7
- Time: 1.00 p.m. ET
- Channel: FOX
- Venue: Everbank Stadium
As far as first games go, this could have been a lot worse for the Carolina Panthers. The Florida sunshine beckons with a trip to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Of course, this is the scene of team owner David Tepper's drink-throwing incident that became the franchise's rock bottom.
Things look different now, and this is a winnable game from the Panthers' perspective. Jacksonville is moving into a new era with head coach Liam Coen. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence has some questions to answer, but the arrival of two-way phenom Travis Hunter brings significant intrigue. This is also a meeting between the Etienne brothers, Trevor and Travis, which adds another sprinkle of intrigue.
- Prediction: Win (1-0)
Dave Canales has nothing to fear in this one. If the defensive reinforcements hit the ground running and the offense clicks, the Panthers can leave an early mark.
Carolina Panthers at Cardinals — Week 2
- Date: Sunday, September 14
- Time: 4.05 p.m. ET
- Channel: CBS
- Venue: State Farm Stadium
Another road trip awaits the Panthers in Week 2. This one will be trickier to navigate, with the Arizona Cardinals quickly becoming a trendy pick to enter the wild card picture next time around.
Jonathan Gannon is under pressure to make improvements. The Cardinals have Kyler Murray under center and a dynamic young defense to keep things balanced. James Conner is the bell-cow backfield threat, Marvin Harrison Jr. is the explosive wide receiver, and Trey McBride is one of the game's best pass-catching tight ends.
- Prediction: Loss (1-1)
Winning isn't an impossible task for the Panthers. However, they could come out on the wrong side of this one.