Ranking the 5 most important games on Carolina Panthers 2024 schedule

2. Carolina Panthers at Falcons - Week 18

I am thinking extremely optimistically here and envisioning a scenario where the Carolina Panthers come into their Week 18 matchup versus the Atlanta Falcons in a situation where they could clinch a playoff spot. If nothing else, they could play spoiler.

The Falcons do seem to have the top team in the division. Kirk Cousins is the best quarterback in the NFC South, and the top signal-caller is usually the team that wins the division in any given year.

If all goes well for Carolina, maybe they enter Week 18 with an 8-8 record, needing a win and some help to make the playoffs. Maybe they come into their regular-season finale with a 6-10 record and could simply try to knock the Falcons' hopes of some extra momentum to thwart their playoff aspirations.

Either scenario would at least give the franchise something to play for. The Panthers could end the 2024 NFL season on a high note along the way.

1. Carolina Panthers vs. Buccaneers - Week 13

This has to be the most important game. Dave Canales spent the 2023 season as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator, helping lead them to a 9-8 record, NFC South title, and into the divisional round of the playoffs. Former Panthers quarterback Baker Mayfield enjoyed the best year of his career under the exceptional teacher before he got Carolina's top job this offseason.

The Panthers get to host the Buccaneers in Week 13. The two teams face off for the first time late in the season, and you best bet that Canales wants to have his players ready to take it to his old team.

There is not any bad blood between Canales and the Buccaneers - why should there be? That said, this should be about personal pride more than anything to resentful.

Canales has done amazing work with Geno Smith when he was with the Seattle Seahawks and Mayfield during his time with the Buccaneers. His latest test is trying to develop Bryce Young, and having his latest successful project pick apart his old team would be sweet.

Plus, if all goes well, the Panthers could be in the NFC playoff mix.