4 major observations from the Carolina Panthers schedule release in 2023
By Dean Jones
Division stretch games will define Carolina Panthers season
There is always an eagerness to gain a divisional advantage for any team. For the Carolina Panthers, this ambition will come in bunches during the 2023 season.
Perhaps surprisingly, the Panthers open their campaign with back-to-back games against NFC South adversaries. A trip to the Atlanta Falcons is first up, which is swiftly followed by the already mentioned Monday Night Football clash against the New Orleans Saints for Bryce Young's home debut.
This trend continues further into the season. Carolina has to embark on three-straight divisional games from Weeks 13-15, which is going to have huge ramifications attached at a crucial stage of the campaign.
Looking at the grand scheme of things, the NFC South is wide open in the immediate aftermath of Tom Brady's retirement. Every team will fancy their chances of winning the division, which only makes these games more pivotal for the Panthers and new head coach Frank Reich.
There is absolutely nothing for Carolina to fear with Brady out of the picture. But it's hard to fathom the level of importance surrounding these stretches of division contests, which will no doubt define their 2023 season.