Panthers Have One of the NFL's Easiest Schedules in 2023
The Carolina Panthers will have a chance to compete for a division crown and much more in 2023 thanks to an incredibly weak NFC South and altogether, an incredibly weak schedule.
According to the ESPN FPI, the Panthers have the fourth-easiest schedule in the NFL this season. Only the Colts, Falcons, and Saints have it easier. Sometimes strength of schedule can be a little misleading in the preseason but not this schedule.
Carolina will have a challenging start to the season with games against the Saints, Seahawks, Vikings, Lions, and Dolphins. But after the bye week, it's smooth sailing. At least on paper that is. Following the bye in Week 7, the Panthers will only see three teams that made the playoffs in 2022 - Tampa Bay (2X), Dallas, and Jacksonville.
Trevor Lawrence and Dak Prescott will be the best quarterbacks Carolina will see over the final eleven weeks of the season if that tells you anything. Both have had success in the league but neither are considered elite at this point. Other quarterbacks the Panthers will face post-Week 7? C.J. Stroud, Anthony Richardson/Gardner Minshew, Justin Fields, Ryan Tannehill/Will Levis, Baker Mayfield, Derek Carr, Desmond Ridder, and Jordan Love.
Typically a three-game road stretch would be considered a dangerous area on the schedule. But fortunately for the Panthers, their three-game road stretch in late November/early December consists of games against Tennessee, Tampa Bay, and New Orleans. And if we're being honest, the Saints are the only team that has a fighting chance to make the playoffs as the Titans and Buccaneers appear to be on the verge of a rebuild.
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