The full 2019 NFL schedule has been released and fans everywhere are scrambling to put all the pieces together. For fans of the Carolina Panthers, Last Word on Sports has everything you need to know.
Inside the 2019 Carolina Panthers Schedule
Full 2019 Panthers Schedule
- Sun, Sep. 8 vs Los Angeles Rams
- Thurs, Sep. 12 vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Sun, Sep. 22 @ Arizona Cardinals
- Sun, Sep. 29 @ Houston Texans
- Sun, Oct. 6 vs Jacksonville Jaguars
- Sun, Oct. 13 vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers (London)
- WEEK 7 BYE
- Sun, Oct. 27 @ San Francisco 49ers
- Sun, Nov. 3 vs Tennessee Titans
- Sun, Nov. 10 @ Green Bay Packers
- Sun, Nov. 17 vs Atlanta Falcons
- Sun, Nov. 24 @ New Orleans Saints
- Sun, Dec. 1 vs Washington Redskins
- Sun, Dec. 8 @ Atlanta Falcons
- Sun, Dec. 15 vs Seattle Seahawks
- Sun, Dec. 22 @ Indianapolis Colts
- Sun, Dec. 29 vs New Orleans Saints
BOLD denotes Home game
With 32 schedules being released all at once, the information that comes with them can be a bit overwhelming. Even trying to figure out one team’s place amongst the rest can be a tall task.
Worry not. Here are the highs, lows, and everything in-between for the 2019 edition of the Carolina Panthers.
No Monday Night Football
One of the most noticeable feats of the Panthers schedule is that it does not include a Monday Night Football contest. This year, 25 of the 32 teams will occupy the 34 Monday night slots. The Panthers are not the only team left off the list, as the following teams were also deprived of a primetime ESPN broadcast:
- Atlanta Falcons
- Arizona Cardinals
- Buffalo Bills
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Tennessee Titans
It is interesting to note that only one of the three teams in the NFC South (New Orleans) notched a spot on the MNF roster.
Despite having more slots than teams in the league, some organizations got more than their fair share of appearances on MNF. Below are teams that were able to snag two spots on the long-running program:
- Cleveland Browns
- Green Bay Packers
- Minnesota Vikings
- New York Giants
- New York Jets
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- San Francisco 49ers
- Seattle Seahawks
For whatever reason, Cam Newton and company will have to showcase their skills primarily on Sundays, with just one non-Sunday game. Speaking of which…
Thursday Night Football
The Panthers schedule features a showdown with the Buccaneers at Bank of America Stadium on Thursday, Sep. 12 for the second Thursday Night Football game of the season. On the surface, this seems like a non-issue, however, it poses a unique challenge.
The Panthers will play their opening game on the 8th and have just four days to turn around for game two. It may prove to be worthwhile in the end, since the team gets the short turnaround over early instead of in the middle of the season, but it may cause issues right out of the gate.
On the flip side, it provides the team with an extended preparation period for week three when they will go on the road for the first time to face the Arizona Cardinals. Week two isn’t the only strange matchup with the Buccaneers though.
The London Game
On Sunday, Oct. 13, the Panthers will travel to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London to play their first-ever international game. Kickoff against the Buccaneers will be at 9:30 a.m. ET. The game is one of four games to be played in London this season. A MNF matchup between the Chiefs and Chargers will also be played internationally in Mexico City in November.
Luckily for Carolina, the game will count as a home game for Tampa Bay, allowing the Panthers to retain their eight games in Charlotte. Additionally, the Panthers will be on bye the following week (Week 7), an upgrade from last years’ Week 4 bye.
Schedule Highlights (Outside the Division)
All 16 games will obviously be highlights for the die-hard fan, but which games will draw the attention of a national crowd? A few games stand out.
- Sep. 8 vs Los Angeles Rams
- Nov. 10 @ Green Bay Packers
- Dec. 15 vs Seattle Seahawks
The home- and season-opener is a showdown with the defending NFC Champions. The Rams will almost surely be better offensively than their previous outing (a 3-point performance in their Super Bowl LIII loss to the Patriots), which could cause some issues for the Panthers defensively. The Rams averaged 30.8 points per game a season ago, and as for now, the road to the Super Bowl still goes through Los Angeles. Thankfully, Carolina gets this one at home.
The second contest could have major playoff implications, depending on how each team performs up to that point. Both squads were expected to be playoff teams a year ago, yet neither made the cut. The Panthers have won the previous two contests by a total of just 15 points, with the most recent victory providing one of the best highlights of Newton’s phenomenal career.
The final matchup is between two quarterbacks that receive attention for their non-traditional quarterback styles, often drawing comparisons to one another. Russell Wilson just became the highest-paid player in NFL history with a $140 million megadeal and will be looking to back up that title in 2019. Last year, Wilson led the game-winning drive against the Panthers after a rare miss from Graham Gano that would have put Carolina up by 3 with under two minutes remaining. The Panthers will be ready to get their revenge this year at home.
NFC South Matchups, Last Word
A third of the division schedule has already been covered, so there isn’t much more to say. The highlights of the division slate will be home games against the Falcons (Nov. 17) and Saints (Dec. 29, season finale).
On the other end of the spectrum, two of the most challenging games will be road contests in Atlanta (Dec. 8) and New Orleans (Nov. 24).
After winning the division three years in a row from 2013 to 2015, Carolina is title-less in the last three seasons, with the previous two titles going to the Saints. All four of these games should be considered must-win games if this team wants to pursue a fourth division title of the decade.
Main photo:
Embed from Getty Images
