The Carolina Panthers are on a two-game winning run and are 3-2 through five games. Momentum is building, and people around the league are finally starting to take them seriously after years of languishing among the bottom feeders.
Head coach Dave Canales is off to a good start this year, but the hard work is just getting started.
The Panthers were not at their best against the Philadelphia Eagles, but they got the job done.
It's a game they probably would have lost a couple of years ago, but this team is tougher these days. And they will need all this resolve to get through a tricky yet potentially profitable stretch leading into the midseason point.
With that in mind, we predicted how the Panthers' next four games might go after their 3-2 start.
Predicting the Carolina Panthers' next four games after their 3-2 start to the 2026 season
Carolina Panthers vs. Buccaneers - Week 7
The Panthers get another chance to lay down a marker within the division when they host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This is also an opportunity to show the entire NFL that the balance of power in the NFC South has officially shifted.
Tampa Bay is propping up the division at 1-5. Pressure is building on head coach Todd Bowles, and they could also be without quarterback Baker Mayfield for another week.
Prediction: Win (4-2)
Head coach Dave Canales won't take them lightly. But if the Panthers perform as they have of late, it's a game they can win.
Carolina Panthers at Packers - Week 8
The Panthers have a short week before their trip to the Green Bay Packers for Thursday Night Football. This will not be easy, especially given how well the NFC North club has stepped things up of late after a difficult start.
Green Bay's offense is explosive. Quarterback Jordan Love has turned things around, and the wide receiver duo of Christian Watson and Matthew Golden could trouble Carolina's under-strength secondary.
Prediction: Loss (4-3)
This is another game where the Panthers can win if they take the crowd out of the equation at Lambeau Field. But it could legitimately go either way.
Carolina Panthers vs. Broncos - Week 9
The Denver Broncos are 4-2, even if things haven't fully clicked yet. Head coach Sean Payton has taken back play-calling from offensive coordinator Davis Webb, and they are doing enough to scrape through games despite Bo Nix's inconsistent quarterback play.
Denver's defense should be respected, but the Panthers shouldn't fear anybody on home turf. Bank of America Stadium has a different atmosphere these days, and they will be banking (pun intended) on this to see them through against a potential playoff challenger.
Prediction: Win (5-3)
This could become a duel between Nix and Bryce Young. And in this scenario, the Alabama product can come through.
Carolina Panthers at Saints - Week 10
The New Orleans Saints were projected as a trendy pick to win the NFC South and potentially make some noise in the postseason before the campaign, but they've fallen well short of those expectations so far. Kellen Moore's team is 2-4, and the Panthers will aim to pile on more misery for their division rival in this one.
The Panthers have a decent enough record over the Saints in recent years. New Orleans has also lost three straight home games to start the campaign, so this is a good chance to gain even more breathing space atop the division.
Prediction: Win (6-3)
Though form can go out the window during division games, the Panthers look well-matched to handle whatever the Saints throw at them.
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