With the NFL schedule officially released and training camp just around the corner, Last Word on Pro Football is analyzing the schedule of all 32 teams. Each team’s schedule shall be split into most difficult (1-8) and easiest (9-17) games. Let’s kick off the series by looking at the most difficult games on the Carolina Panthers schedule.
[pickup_prop id=”23394″]
Most Difficult Games on the Carolina Panthers 2022 Schedule
1. Week 6 @ Rams
It’s never easy facing off against the reigning Super Bowl champions, and the Los Angeles Rams figure to be no exception to the rule. The team is bringing back the vast majority of its established core and should remain one of the elite teams in the NFL. Losing Von Miller hurts, but Allen Robinson should be able to offset the loss of Odell Beckham. The Panthers will need to play their best football to walk out of this one with a win.
2. Week 17 @ Buccaneers
The Panthers have yet to beat the Tom Brady-led Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and it’s hard to see that changing in 2022. Brady is back for (at least) one more year, and Tampa Bay has continued to push their chips to the center of the table and go all-in with the greatest quarterback to ever play. While the Buccaneers could use more depth in their secondary, this team will always be dangerous as long as Brady is under center with his elite offensive weapons.
3. Week 6 vs Buccaneers
Everything from above still applies to this section, but at least the Panthers get to host the Buccaneers this time around. Additionally, Week 6 is relatively early in the season, which means that superstar wide receiver Chris Godwin might not be completely healthy for this matchup. Obviously, this will make it easier to pull off a win, but the Panthers are still fighting an uphill battle here.
4. Week 12 vs Broncos
For the first time since the Peyton Manning Era, the Denver Broncos have a true franchise quarterback under center. Russell Wilson didn’t have the best numbers in 2021, but most of his slump happened after he injured his thumb. Assuming he comes back looking like his old self, the Broncos have the offensive and defensive weapons capable of competing for a Super Bowl title.
5. Week 9 @ Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals came minutes away from winning the Super Bowl last year, and you could easily make the case that the 2022 roster is more talented than the 2021 iteration of the team. They added multiple starters along the offensive line and bolstered their depth in the secondary. While they did benefit from an easy schedule last year, if Joe Burrow can build off his breakout campaign, then they could easily make it back to the Super Bowl.
6. Week 11 @ Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens suffered an absurd amount of injuries last year, including one that sidelined quarterback Lamar Jackson for five games and most of a sixth. Despite this, they still finished with an 8-9 record, with five of their final six losses coming by a combined eight points. Now that they’re healthy, the Ravens should return to being one of the more complete rosters in football with one of the smartest minds in the league at head coach.
7. Week 5 vs 49ers
The only reason the San Francisco 49ers are this low is because of the complete unknown that is Trey Lance. The former third-overall pick looked good in limited action as a rookie, but it’s anyone’s guess how well he can play in an extended sample. If he plays up to his potential, then this could be the hardest game on the roster. Kyle Shanahan is one of the best offensive minds in football, Deebo Samuel and George Kittle are elite players at their respective positions, and the defense is loaded with talent.
8. Week 4 vs Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are always great in the first half of the season, which is bad news for the Panthers since this matchup occurs in Week 4. Kyler Murray is inconsistent, but his penchant for big plays will likely offset the unnecessary sacks and occasional miss in the short portion of the field. Fortunately, with DeAndre Hopkins suspended, the Panthers will only need to worry about Hollywood Brown at wide receiver.
Main photo:
Embed from Getty Images
