Individual Game Odds Suggest Brutal Season for Panthers, But It Won't Matter

The Carolina Panthers weren't favored in many contests last year, and that was for good reason. This year, though, they're the defending NFC South champs who took the Los Angeles Rams to the wire and have a retooled and reinvigorated roster. Yet, they're still only favored in three contests. That's odd, but it also doesn't matter.

Panthers aren't favored often, but it won't matter

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Xavier Legette (17) catches the ball during a game against the New York Jets | Yannick Peterhans / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Panthers have a tough schedule, as has been well-documented, so perhaps this isn't a huge surprise. Coming off eight wins and facing a first-place schedule is not exactly an ideal combo, and the offseason improvements have yet to be proven as tangible upgrades.

For all we know, this Panthers team could be equally as mediocre as the last, and that kind of team certainly doesn't deserve to be favored often against a formidable slate of opponents. That said, it also doesn't matter that they're not favored much.

The Panthers were hardly favored last year. In fact, they won eight games without being favored in hardly any of them. They were eventually favored against the winless New York Jets, but the opening odds had them as underdogs even then.

They were also the only team to win as a double-digit underdog in 2025, and they did it twice. They nearly pulled it off a third time in the playoffs against the Los Angeles Rams. The Panthers did really well despite the odds. Why wouldn't they be able to do that again?

Carolina obviously has a harder slate this year, although the schedule ended up being challenging last year, too. But they're also better now. This roster is much more equipped to take on good teams, so it should balance out.

Yes, the Panthers are in the deep end now, but they've learned how to swim and have all the tools to stay afloat for longer than they would've last year. For now, there's no reason to fret, even if the Panthers look like a team, based on these odds, destined for an ugly finish.

The FOX Sports team noted that Carolina ranks T26 in games favored. That's the lowest by any team that made the playoffs last year by six spots.

Carolina Panthers tight end Tommy Tremble (82) runs with the ball in overtime | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

"This one is also a big surprise. The 2025 NFC South champs are only favored in three games, including on the road against the Browns and at home against the Saints and Falcons. This number does not reflect their win total projection of 7.5," they wrote.

There's a disconnect on the odds there, but regardless, the Panthers were a powerful underdog last year, so there's no reason to expect them to crumble when the odds aren't in their favor.

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